


Closer

by Dionaea_Canis



Series: Reunite [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fix-It, I promise, Interspecies Relationship(s), M/M, Major Spoilers for Season 2, Minor Violence, Post Season 2, Shiro isn't in it at first but then he is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-16
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-24 23:54:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9792932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dionaea_Canis/pseuds/Dionaea_Canis
Summary: After reuniting with Shiro, Ulaz had grown more attached to the human than he’d ever intended. Then, when the Black Paladin goes missing, Ulaz works with the others to find him, and in the process only ends up bonding with them even more.





	

**Author's Note:**

> The fact that there’s still so little Shiro/Ulaz content is a travesty, so here’s something else from me. All your kind words are what convinced me to write this, so thank you again to everyone for your lovely comments and kudos <3 I hope you enjoy!

Ulaz stood anxiously in the Blade of Marmora’s shuttle bay, the large bay doors above him opening slowly. The ship Kolivan and Antok had left in had re-entered the passageway to the base, between the two black holes and the massive blue star, and was currently landing on the rocky surface of the hidden base. As the large elevator lowered the ship into the bay, Ulaz was careful to stand still, not wanting to give away his anxiousness even with his mask on. But when the ship finally settled and its entryway opened, only a single Galra walked out. Ulaz tensed, straining his eyes for any motion in the dark interior of the ship, but there was none. And once the lone Galra had reached the floor, the walkway retracted back into the ship, its door closing with an eerie finality.

Ulaz tore his gaze from the ship as the sole Galra approached him, standing at attention as he carefully surveyed the other’s condition. The cloth of his uniform was scorched in several places, and he walked with a heavy gait, but Kolivan appeared to be uninjured. The leader still had his mask on, so Ulaz was unable to see his face, but his shoulders were tense. 

“Sir,” Ulaz began, voice steady. He knew better than to show he was concerned about Kolivan, as the leader preferred to keep his emotions to himself, and would not appreciate Ulaz’s sympathy. “Was the mission successful?”

“Zarkon has been defeated.” Kolivan replied stoically as he walked past Ulaz. Ulaz quickly turned to follow, walking behind his leader as he moved towards the door. “Antok did not survive,” Kolivan continued, voice carefully void of any emotion, “And the Black Paladin is missing.”

Ulaz stopped mid-step, breath catching uncomfortably in his throat. He hurried to catch up to Kolivan, who had not stopped walking. “Missing?” Ulaz asked, unable to help the worry that snuck into his tone. He had suspected Antok’s fate when Kolivan had returned alone, but not Shiro as well.

“The Black Lion was empty when they looked inside after the battle.” Kolivan responded, his voice still cold and unwavering.

Ulaz followed in silence for a moment as they walked through the hangar doors, collecting his thoughts and reining his emotions in. Acting emotional would get him nowhere with Kolivan. They continued on towards the main hall of the base, and Ulaz suspected that Kolivan was preparing to tell the other members of the Blade of Marmora about the battle. Once his thoughts had settled, Ulaz returned his gaze to Kolivan and spoke again.

“I need to speak with Allura,” Ulaz began, voice steady and determined. “They may require help locating Shiro.”

“With Zarkon defeated, they have time to find another Black Paladin.” Kolivan responded impassively, not bothering to look back at Ulaz as he spoke.

Ulaz almost faltered in his stride, taken aback by Kolivan’s immediate dismissal. “They will search for him,” Ulaz argued, still careful to keep emotion out of his voice as he attempted to reason with his leader. “They will not give up.” He paused for a moment, thinking on Kolivan’s priorities. “And if it were that easy to find a pilot for the Black Lion, we wouldn’t have risked breaking Shiro out in the first place.”

At this, Kolivan finally stopped walking, and the action made Ulaz nervous more than anything. Kolivan turned to look at him, the glowing eyes of his mask cold and piercing. “It wouldn’t have been such a risk if you had waited until the proper time, as you were ordered to. And then perhaps you wouldn’t have blown your cover.” His voice was cold and sharp, and Ulaz lowered his head in acquiescence. Although Kolivan was trying not to show it, his emotions were clearly in turmoil, and this was no time to be arguing over old conflicts with him.

Back when he’d freed Shiro, he’d made the decision on short notice, and against orders to wait. But if Ulaz had waited any longer, Shiro would have lost another part of himself, and the Galra feared that the more Shiro lost, the further from a competent pilot he would become. If they waited too long, there might not have been enough of Shiro’s own mind left to bond with the Black Lion at all. So if they were going to break him out with that intention in mind, they had to do it when there was still a worthwhile chance.

But Ulaz knew his leader wasn’t interested in hearing old arguments, so he moved on to a more pertinent line of reasoning.

“After all the years we spent fighting Zarkon, it was Voltron and it’s paladins that allowed us to finally defeat him.” Ulaz began, thinking solemnly of Antok and all the others who had sacrificed themselves for the cause. “And now, with one of the paladins missing, they will be unable to form Voltron. And without Voltron, we risk losing our advantage over the Empire once more.”

Kolivan didn’t respond, but he also didn’t turn and walk away, so Ulaz knew the leader was considering what he had said. Pressing on, Ulaz continued, voice steady. “I would like to offer Allura my assistance in finding Shiro. Do I have your permission?”

“Fine,” Kolivan conceded after considering it for several long moments. “The Blade of Marmora needs restructuring. You have until then, when your next mission is decided.” He turned away from Ulaz, looking down the long hallway. “The Castle of Lions should still be in this system.”

Even though Kolivan was mostly facing away from him now, Ulaz still gave a sharp salute and a quick “Thank you, Sir.” Kolivan didn’t respond, simply began walking away again in clear dismissal. Wanting to be certain he’d get through the star’s pathway before it closed and to the Castle of Lions in time, Ulaz quickly turned around and hurried back the way he came, towards the shuttle bay.

\---

Ulaz had been able to reach the Castle before it left the system, and when he had hailed them, Allura allowed him on board. Mask off, he now stood on the bridge with Allura, Coran, and the paladins, and Shiro’s absence struck him like a knife to the gut.

“Why have you come?” Allura questioned, eyes narrowed and shoulders tense. But for once, Ulaz knew it wasn’t towards him. The whole team was clearly stressed over Shiro’s disappearance.

“Princess Allura,” Ulaz began, determined but respectful. Allura was no Princess of his, but their rapport was already shaky, and he didn’t want to risk disrespecting her at such a vital time. “I am here to offer my assistance in locating Shiro, if you’ll allow it.”

Allura did not respond immediately, looking away in deliberation. Her arms were crossed and her shoulders were still tense, but her expression was not cold like Ulaz had often seen it, instead simply composed and considering. 

In the corner of his vision, Ulaz saw Keith shift, switching his weight from foot to foot, clearly restless. Another moment passed and the young paladin clearly couldn’t wait any longer, opening his mouth to speak. “We could use his help,” Keith began, voice determined, though there was still clearly an anxious undertone to it. “Ulaz is a better fighter than any of us,” he gestured at the other paladins as he spoke, “Wherever Shiro’s gone, I don’t think we’re going to find him without getting in a fight or two. And since we can’t form Voltron, we might have to rely less on our lions, and more on stealth and hand-to-hand.” Keith explained, gaze steady and resolute. “And if there’s anyone who’s as determined to help Shiro as we are, it’s Ulaz.”

Keith glanced over at him as he finished speaking, and Ulaz was struck by the truth of the statement. Obviously Keith was more perceptive than Ulaz had realized. 

Allura, who had been looking intently at Keith as he spoke, glanced over at Ulaz as well. Her gaze was discerning, and Ulaz waited patiently for her decision, although anxiety chewed at his stomach. After several more moments, Allura closed her eyes and let out a quiet sigh. When she opened them again, her eyes were resolute, and she held Ulaz’s steady gaze. 

“Alright,” Allura declared, “You may stay and help us.”

Ulaz’s muscles finally relaxed, and he let out a sigh of relief himself. Opening his eyes again after they had slid shut in relief, he returned Allura’s gaze, voice grateful, “Thank you, Princess.”

\---

They began the search for Shiro immediately. Hunk theorizes that the energy blast that occurred during the battle is likely when Shiro disappeared, and therefore analyzing its energy signature might be able to tell them where Shiro went. Both the Castle and the Lions recorded the impact of the blast in their systems, so Hunk, Pidge, Allura and Coran begin analyzing the data. Ulaz does what he can to help as well, contributing what he knows about Galra technology, and whether or not the blast is like anything he’s seen before. It has definite ties to Druid magic, but there are also components of the energy signature that he doesn’t recognize.

They scrutinize the data for hours, until Coran finally notices a small segment that resembles the energy signature left behind by a wormhole. It’s a breakthrough, and they’re all relieved to find evidence suggesting that Shiro may have been transported somewhere else, and isn’t just gone.

However, no matter how much they analyze it, they aren’t able to determine where the wormhole might have led. Allura’s wormholes leave behind an untraceable signature, and whatever transported Shiro seems no different.

So they’re left at a dead end for the time being. They’ve all worked long past the time they would normally be asleep, and Allura insists they all go get some rest. They won’t make any progress if they’re all exhausted, and it’s already been an unbelievably long day.

Lance is the only one who’d actually retired to his room before that point, and Keith had fallen asleep in the corner, determined to be there if they found anything else out. Yawning widely, Coran left the room first, followed by Hunk whose eyes were barely open as he slowly walked out of the room, dragging his feet in exhaustion. Ulaz stood up, preparing to leave as well, but he hesitated as his eyes fell on Keith. Someone had to wake the young paladin, and based on the behaviour of the others, Ulaz got the feeling that Shiro would normally be the one to do it. 

After a moment, however, Allura glanced over in concern as well, and cautiously approached the sleeping paladin. She knelt down and gently placed a hand on Keith’s shoulder, saying his name softly as she did so. Keith woke quickly, eyes shooting open as he sat up in alarm. His mouth opened as if he were going to say something, but when his eyes focused on Allura, he shut it again, shoulders slumping sadly. Allura, who had been surprised by Keith’s sudden waking, relaxed and smiled gently, telling Keith that they hadn’t found anything else out tonight, but would continue tomorrow after everyone got some rest.

Not wanting to intrude any more than he already had, Ulaz turned towards the door, but froze again before he even took a step. He suddenly realized he wasn’t sure where he was going, as he hadn’t actually been assigned a room here yet. He turned to look at Allura again, and found that Keith had now stood up and begun walking towards the door himself, gaze weary and forlorn. Allura watched him leave with a slight frown on her face, brows drawn in concern. Once Keith had left the room, Allura began turning towards Pidge, who still sat staring at the screen in concentration, despite the bags under their eyes. As Allura turned, however, she froze as her eyes fell on Ulaz, appearing surprised that he was still there.

“I’m afraid I haven’t been assigned a place to sleep yet,” Ulaz said in explanation.

“Oh,” Allura responded, “Of course.” Her gaze fell back on Pidge, and she frowned in concern again before looking back at Ulaz, “Just a moment.”

She approached Pidge and attempted to convince the Green Paladin to go and get some rest as well, but Pidge just shrugged her off, saying they’d sleep soon. Ulaz wondered for a moment if the paladin was always this dedicated, or if they were closer to Shiro than Ulaz realized. Allura relented, although she still looked somewhat troubled. She turned and approached Ulaz, and as she got close, he noticed signs of exhaustion on her face as well. Not even twelve hours had passed since the mission to defeat Zarkon, and Ulaz could only imagine how exhausted she and the rest of the team must be. It was the one moment he was almost thankful that he hadn’t been on the mission himself. Of course, he would have much rather actually been there, and possibly had the chance to prevent Shiro’s disappearance, or Antok’s death.

Allura gestured as she reached him, and Ulaz snapped himself out of his thoughts, barely catching her words as she spoke. “Alright, Ulaz, follow me.”

She led him out of the room in silence, and Ulaz followed in much the same manner. Even if he wasn’t as exhausted as everyone else, he was still tired, and thankful for the quiet. It was certainly better than awkward, half-awake small talk, which was the likely alternative.

Despite the Castle’s size, it wasn’t a particularly long walk before they arrived at what Ulaz guessed must be his room, as Allura stopped in front of a door. 

“The bed won’t be made, but there should be sheets in the closet. Night clothes as well, though I don’t imagine they’ll fit you.” Allura explained, glancing up and down at Ulaz in uncertainty, seeming to compare the garments they would have on board to Ulaz’s stature. “We might have some in storage, if you need them in the future. I trust you can make due for tonight, however?” She questioned, her tone honest, and not derisive as Ulaz would have once expected.

Ulaz nodded in confirmation, and after giving a brief nod in return, Allura turned away and continued down the hall, presumably towards her own room.

Ulaz stepped towards the door and watched it slide open, the light inside turning on automatically. The room was small, but adequate nevertheless. Ulaz had certainly slept in worse places, and he was thankful for what he could get. He opened the closet and pulled out dressings for the bed, along with a pair of grey night clothes, although when he unfolded them and held them up to his frame, they were indeed too small. He placed them back in the closet once he’d made the bed, and began removing the bulky armour that adorned his suit. The undersuit was still somewhat uncomfortable, and rigid in parts, but it was better than the uniform in its entirety. Pressing the switch next to the door, Ulaz turned the lights off and lied down on the bed. It was a bit small, but Ulaz could still fit if he folded his legs slightly.

The situation wasn’t ideal, but you quickly learned to accept when you could get when fighting a war, and it didn’t take Ulaz long to drift into a light sleep.

\---

They continued working on locating Shiro over the next few days, but progress was slow. On the second day, Keith told him about the training room, and invited Ulaz to join him. It had been too long since Ulaz had gotten any proper exercise, and he could use a way to work out the tension that had built up in his muscles after the lack of results, so he agreed.

At first he just watched Keith spar with the Castle’s built-in training robot, but as he observed Keith’s swordplay, he offered to give Keith some pointers, if the paladin wanted them. Keith had looked at him in surprise, but quickly agreed. Ulaz had noticed that Keith was the only one aboard the Castle of Lions who fought with a sword, and though he was already very skilled, Ulaz imagined he didn’t have many chances to learn new techniques or improve his swordplay further. It started with Ulaz simply giving Keith tips as the paladin fought the training bot, but quickly transformed into Ulaz sparring with Keith himself.

Ulaz was impressed with Keith’s abilities, not even having to go particularly easy on the paladin as they began. He asked where Keith had learned to handle a blade, to which the paladin responded he was self-taught. Ulaz narrowed his eyes and couldn’t help but think about how there was Galra blood running through Keith’s veins, indeed.

Ulaz gave the young paladin tips as they sparred, and Keith was quick to work them into his technique. They continued like that for several minutes, but Ulaz could tell Keith was beginning to grow tired, especially after having already fought the robot as well. When Keith drew back for his next strike, Ulaz held up his hand, and the paladin paused in his movement, looking at Ulaz in mild surprise.

“That’s enough for now.” Ulaz declared, sheathing his sword at his back once more. 

Keith retracted his bayard as well, walking over towards the wall where he’d left his jacket and a water bottle. Ulaz’s thoughts drifted once more to Keith’s Galra nature, and he spoke as the paladin drank.

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Ulaz began, “Have you thought of any questions about Galra that you’d like me to answer?”

Keith looked over at him in surprise, lowering the water bottle and capping it. After a moment, he lowered his gaze to his hands, gripping the bottle tighter. “Honestly, with everything that’s been going on, I still haven’t had a lot of time to think about it.” Keith responded, voice low and uncertain. 

After a moment, however, Keith lifted his eyes again, looking back over at Ulaz tentatively. “I suppose there are a of couple things, though.” He continued, voice still quiet. 

Ulaz nodded, encouraging, and walked over to stand beside Keith. The Red Paladin took a deep breath, looked up at Ulaz in uncertainty, and began.

They stood there and talked for some time, Ulaz answering all he could without overstepping the Blade of Marmora’s strict rules of secrecy. Every time he was able to answer one of Keith’s questions, however, the paladin’s eyes lit up, as though he finally had an answer to a question he’d been pondering for years. And without ever having a chance to speak to an amicable Galra before now, Ulaz imagined that was probably all too true. The thought made Ulaz all the more glad to be able to help the young paladin, and he couldn’t help the small smiled that formed on his lips as they spoke.

\---

It’s the fifth day after the battle when they finally make progress again. They’d been talking about the Lions over breakfast, and how Shiro had stated that if he were ever gone, he wanted Keith to pilot the Black Lion in his absence. Then Keith had suddenly stopped mid-sentence, before announcing enthusiastically, “That’s it!”

“If Zarkon was able to track us through the Black Lion,” Keith explained in a rush, “Then maybe we can track Shiro using the Black Lion!” 

“The Lions are able to find us when we’re in trouble,” Pidge agreed, backing Keith up. “Usually it’s over a short distance, but Shiro’s connection to the Black Lion is particularly strong. If we can amplify its sensors somehow, perhaps…” They trailed off, face drawn in contemplation.

“It’s definitely worth a shot.” Allura agreed from her position at the head of the table, nodding as she considered the idea as well.

And so they had quickly hurried away from the breakfast table, and off to gather equipment, before heading down to the Black Lion’s hangar.

\---

Pidge was able to create an amplifier that would work with the Black Lion, and after some convincing from Keith, the Black Lion awoke and allowed them to connect it. Gathered around the Black Lion, they all waited anxiously as Pidge activated the amplifier, and Keith urged the Black Lion once more to search for Shiro. 

But as minutes passed and there was no change, they began to grow somewhat despondent. However, the Black Lion’s eyes were still growing a bright yellow, so they knew hope was not lost. The search might just take more than a few minutes, was all. Shiro could be anywhere in the universe, after all.

But then, after almost an hour had passed and several of the paladins had taken to sitting on the floor, the Black Lion suddenly moved. It stood swiftly, and let out an abrupt roar. Everyone shot up in response, and a new image appeared on the screen Pidge had hooked up to the Black Lion. It was a star system, and though Ulaz didn’t recognize it, there was also a set of co-ordinates alongside it. 

“This must be it!” Pidge exclaimed, quickly surveying the information on the screen.

Keith looked up at the Black Lion in gratitude, and gently laid his hand on the Lion’s massive paw. “Thank you, buddy. You did great.” Keith said softly, a smile on his face.

\---

They found out all they could about the system Shiro was in as they prepared for the rescue mission. It was far from where they’d fought Zarkon, so it was clear that Shiro had indeed been transported through some sort of wormhole. The information they could find told them that the planet and the whole system was basically deserted, as one of the system’s two stars had gone supernova. The planets themselves were reportedly very dangerous, as well. And if they had once been conquered by the Galra, they were likely not there any longer.

Ulaz and Keith would be going in together aboard the Black Lion, in the hope that the Black Lion would be able to take them right to Shiro. Lance and Hunk would be providing back up in their respective Lions, while Pidge stayed aboard the Castle so that they would have a Lion in reserve if anything went wrong.

With their plan in place, they wormholed to the co-ordinates the Black Lion had given them. There were only a few planets left in the desolate system, the rest having been either destroyed by the supernova, or sucked in by the resulting black hole.

The planet Shiro was on was the only one in the system that was located close enough to the system’s remaining star to sustain survivable temperatures both during the day and at night. It made them all realize just how much worse the situation could be, considering the amount of time it had taken them to locate Shiro.

Ulaz stood in the Black Lion’s cockpit, with Keith sitting in the pilot’s seat as they prepared to launch. The Black Lion was still somewhat reluctant to let Keith pilot it, but with the promise of Shiro so close by, the young paladin didn’t have to do much convincing. They checked in with the others once more, confirming that they were all prepared, and Keith took the Black Lion out into space.

The planet was very dry, with little water or cloud cover, and its beige surface had little diversity. As they neared the surface, Ulaz could make huge, broken structures criss-crossing the land, the remains of massive towers and what was likely once a raised rail system. Clearly this had once been a populous, thriving land, but all that was left now were its broken, sun-baked remains. 

Flying above the devastation, the Black Lion brought them towards the horizon, where the remaining star was setting in the sky. The ground below grew darker, long shadows stretching across the uneven terrain. They were approaching a large region of destroyed buildings that Ulaz guessed had once been the city centre. Suddenly, the Black Lion began slowing down, and flew even closer to the surface. 

“This is it,” Keith remarked, eyes fixed on the flashing co-ordinates displayed in front of him. “He should be right down here.”

The Black Lion flew slow circles around the area, weaving through what was left standing of huge skyscrapers. But there was a problem, the whole area was covered in huge, jagged pieces of rubble, as if someone had crumbled an entire mountain onto this one spot. And the few flat surfaces that existed were covered in large piles of coarse sand, which the wind had pushed through the openings and stacked up against the sides of the destroyed buildings.

“This doesn’t look good, guys.” Keith explained over the coms, eyes narrowed as he scanned the surface. “I think we’re going to have to go in on foot. There’s no way any of the Lions can fit through that debris.”

“Alright,” Allura responded back, and though her voice was steady, you could hear the unease underlying it. “But be careful. I’m not sure how stable that terrain is.”

“Got it,” Keith answered, searching for a flat area large enough to land the Black Lion on.

“Lance, Hunk, you two stay airborne nearby. You’re still back up, but we don’t want to put any more weight on that unstable ground than necessary.” Allura continued, decisive.

Lance and Hunk both responded with a quick affirmative, and Keith carefully lowered the massive Black Lion to the ground. The flat section of ground was just large enough for the Black Lion to fit, and the sand dunes that had formed there were manageable. However, there was one disconcerting feature of the spot, which was the huge skyscraper that had toppled over and broken against another across from it, forming a massive, upside-down vee that hung ominously above them. However, it was the only spot within a mile that the Black Lion could fit, and with the sun setting rapidly in the sky, they didn’t have time to waste. 

Ulaz watched as Keith took a deep breath and stood up from the pilot’s seat, the young paladin turning to face him. “Ready?” Keith asked, his gaze steady and determined. Ulaz gave a sharp nod in response, his mask securely in place. Keith mentioned that the Black Lion had a speeder, but they wouldn’t both be able to fit on it, so their best bet was going on foot. 

They exited the Black Lion together, emerging onto the rough, sandy ground. The air here was hot and dry, though Ulaz’s mask kept the sand and dust out, at least. Keith led the way, a navigation device that Pidge has rigged up for them in his hand. It had the most precise co-ordinates they could get from the Black Lion programmed in, and would hopefully lead them right to Shiro.

The rocky ground was difficult to navigate, constantly shifting from huge chunks of rubble, to the thin, winding crevices that stretched between them, to wide expanses of coarse, heavy sand. Plus the setting sun cast large, jagged shadows across the ground that only made it more difficult to see where to go.

As they continued forward, the gaps between the rubble became even more frequent, with large chunks of debris suspended above them, interlocked together. Ulaz feared that if even one of the large slabs was knocked out of place, the whole structure would go down. Most of the area here was cast in shadow, with only a few patches of light making it through. Ahead of them, a large passage opened up in the rubble, completely covered by debris overhead. It was where the tracker was leading them, and they stopped for a moment in front of the opening. 

“We’ve arrived at some sort of tunnel,” Keith explained over the coms. He glanced over at Ulaz as he continued, “We’re going in, but we might lose reception. We’ll contact you as soon as we get back out in the open.”

“Alright,” Allura replied, and even here the signal was cutting out a bit. “Good luck.”

Keith entered the tunnel first, and Ulaz followed close behind him. It was even darker inside the tunnel, and the temperature seemed to drop a few degrees, as well. The lights on Ulaz’s armor and the screen of the navigation device provided a little light, but not enough to properly light the way ahead. As they continued walking further into the tunnel, Ulaz noticed Keith’s pace slowing.

“How much can you see?” Ulaz asked, hazarding a guess as to Keith’s cautious stride.

“Not much,” Keith admitted after a beat, “The light helps a bit,” he gestured with the navigator to show what he was referring to, “But still not much.”

“Perhaps I should lead,” Ulaz suggested. “Galra are naturally nocturnal. I can probably see more in this darkness than you can.”

“Good idea,” The paladin replied, pausing to let Ulaz pass him and take the lead. 

It was still difficult for Ulaz to see in the dark tunnel, but he could just make out the rough walls on either side, as well as several feet forward. He heard Keith begin walking again just behind him, and turned his head slightly to glance back at the paladin. 

“Are we close?” Ulaz asked simply.

“Very,” Keith replied, glancing at the navigation device again, “He could be anywhere along here.” 

Ulaz nodded, knowing Keith would be able to see the gesture because of the lights on Ulaz’s mask. He then turned his gaze forwards again, scanning the area ahead of him carefully, just in case Shiro was in here. His stomach was starting to twist with worry as they got closer to finding Shiro. There was no telling what sort of state the Black Paladin would be in when they found him. Even if the explosion had transported him here, they didn’t know if that’s all it had done to him.

Whenever they reached a branching path in the tunnel, Ulaz would pause and wait for Keith to tell him which way to go. But as Ulaz examined the floor and walls surrounding them, searching for any sign of Shiro, a sense of unease began to sink in. “It’s strange,” He remarked, voice low, “The walls here are so uniform. Not like the jagged, irregular pathways outside.” Ulaz paused, staring intently at the wall in consideration. “It’s almost as though something made them.”

“Something?” Keith questioned apprehensively, still following closely behind Ulaz.

But before Ulaz had a chance to answer, they rounded a corner, and for the first time in minutes, they could see sunlight peeking through an opening in the tunnel. Once again able to see where they were going, Ulaz heard Keith speed up, hurrying to walk beside him. The tunnel opened up to the surface, leading into a flat, open space. The ground here was covered in coarse sand, with tall cliffs of debris on either side of the clearing, with just of enough of a gap between them for the sun’s last rays to sneak through. Ulaz scanned the clearing hastily, looking for Shiro or any sign of the paladin.

But there was nothing. The clearing was empty.

Keith rushed forward, eyes wide, feet catching in the heavy sand. “No,” Keith remarked, breathless like he’d been struck, “He has to be here. He has to be.”

The paladin spun around in the clearing, gaze scouring the tall, jagged walls of debris surrounding them. Ulaz followed him out into the clearing, glancing down at the navigator in Keith’s hand as he got close. They were right on top of the marker. 

Ulaz’s heart sank in his chest, a cold fear gripping him. But then, as he lifted his gaze to look at Keith, the paladin abruptly froze, arm shooting up to point at the cliff behind Ulaz. 

“There!” Keith exclaimed, gaze fixed on the debris.

Ulaz twisted around hastily, following Keith’s arm to a point at the top of the debris, just off to the side of where they’d exited the tunnel. And there, just peeking out over the edge of the cliff, was what appeared to be a boot. 

Keith hurried over to the steep wall, searching for a way up the jagged cliff. Ulaz followed quickly behind him, looking for a path he could climb up. Keith, wasting no time, used his jetpack to jump up to a small outcropping, and from there to another one even higher up. Ulaz’s own jetpack was mostly designed for correctional navigation in space, and Ulaz didn’t trust it to work for him the same way Keith’s did. However, there were many hand and foot holds in the rocky debris, and Ulaz’s long limbs made climbing easy.

Keith reached the top before him, and Ulaz heard him calling Shiro’s name above him. It only took Ulaz a couple more moments to reach the top himself, and he pulled himself up over the edge of the cliff to see Shiro lying motionless on the rough ground, Keith crouched over him. Keith had his hands on Shiro’s shoulders, and was gently shaking him while calling his name, trying to wake him up. Ulaz approached and crouched down next to the Black Paladin as well, looking him over, trying to determine Shiro’s condition. His armour was scratched in several places, but intact, and Ulaz didn’t see any wounds or blood. Looking up at the paladin’s face, there were dark bags under his eyes, and his skin was slightly paler than normal. But he was still breathing, and as Keith continued attempting to wake him, Shiro stirred.

Shiro opened his eyes slowly, squinting up at Keith, and when he spoke his voice was hoarse. “Keith?” He asked weakly.

“Yeah Shiro, it’s me. It’s okay, we’re gonna get you out of here.” Keith replied, reassuring, his eyes set in determination.

Shiro gave a small, shaky nod, before his eyes slipped closed and he was out again. 

Worry coiling in his gut, Ulaz stood, surveying their surroundings as he reported in to the castle. “We’ve found Shiro. He’s weak, but alright.”

A moment passed before he got a response, but then Allura relayed back with a quick affirmative, and Ulaz imagined she’d taken a moment to let out a sigh of relief before replying.

“Are you able to get him back to the Black Lion?” She questioned, straight to the point.

Ulaz took another look at their surroundings, looking to see if there was another way out of there. The ground on the other side of the cliff was even farther down, and covered in sharp, rocky debris. And the other nearest large, flat piece of debris was maybe fifty feet away, with nothing but pointed rubble lining the bottom of the gap between them. 

After a moment, Ulaz answered her, “Yes, but we’ll have to go back through the tunnel.”

“Understood,” Allura replied, “Contact us when you’re back out.”

Ulaz responded with a quick confirmation, before turning back to Keith where he was still crouched next to Shiro.

“If you can bring him down into the clearing, I can carry him from there.” Ulaz explained, looking down at the young paladin.

“Okay,” Keith nodded in agreement, and moved his arm under Shiro’s shoulders, lifting the unconscious paladin into a sitting position. Shiro’s face twitched in discomfort, but otherwise he was still. Keith hooked his arm under Shiro’s own, and around the older paladin’s back, before carefully standing both himself and Shiro up. With a deep breath, Keith stepped closer to the edge, pulled Shiro tight to his chest, and jumped. The jetpack didn’t work as well with the added weight, but it was still enough to slow their descent, and Keith landed carefully back at the bottom, feet sinking into the sand.

Once Keith and Shiro were safely at the bottom of the clearing, Ulaz began his climb down as well. It didn’t take long before he was sinking his feet into the rough sand as well, and he walked quickly over to Keith, who was once again supporting Shiro at his side. 

Ulaz considered the best way to carry Shiro. With his blade sheathed on his back, he couldn’t carry Shiro on his back, nor could he carry both Shiro and his blade at the same time. Ultimately, he decided it would be easiest to carry Shiro in his arms, and stepped towards Keith, reaching out to hook his right arm around Shiro’s back, and then his left behind the paladin’s knees. He lifted Shiro easily, the paladin’s head resting lightly against Ulaz’s chest. With Shiro securely in his arms, Ulaz turned to look at Keith, and the Red Paladin gave a quick nod.

The last of the sun’s rays were creeping slowly out of the clearing, and only the tall cliff they had traversed was lit anymore. Even the entrance to the passageway was dark now, and with one more glance down at Shiro’s face, Ulaz led the way into the tunnel.

Keith followed closely behind him, still using the navigator as a light source, even though they no longer needed the information displayed on it. The tunnel was still just as dark and eerie as before, and even though having Shiro in his arms reassured Ulaz to an extent, the Galra would still be much more relieved once they got Shiro back to the Castle and into a healing pod.

Ulaz had been careful to memorize the path they had taken through the tunnel so that they would be able to get back through without incident, but as they reached the first of several branch points and he turned right, he looked back at Keith in confirmation. The Red Paladin gave a quick nod, but then, seeming uncertain if Ulaz had seen it, opened his mouth to speak.

“Yeah, that’s the way we came.” The paladin said simply, his voice echoing off the tunnel’s walls.

But then, before Ulaz could even turn around again, there was a loud, rumbling growl that seemed to almost shake the tunnel walls themselves. Ulaz turned to the side, slow and cautious, not wanting to move too suddenly, lest he draw more attention to himself. Beside him, he saw Keith do the same. 

Behind them, down the third fork of the branch, there were four massive, gleaming blue eyes, suspended in the darkness. They were entirely round with no pupils, and glowed like miniature blue stars. 

Whatever creature they were attached to was still several feet away, and Ulaz could just barely make out the creature’s silhouette in the darkness. Huge, jagged teeth glinted in its massive jaw, and it appeared to be taller even than Ulaz, and far wider. Ulaz guessed it was just big enough to fit through the tunnels, which he was now certain the creature had dug.

Tracing the edges of its silhouette, he could see two massive front legs, wider than Ulaz’s own waist. Its feet were enormous as well, with sharp, foot-long claws curving out from the huge, flat paws. Or perhaps those weren’t its front legs, Ulaz realized as he caught sight of long, spindly limbs that seemed to stretch out from just behind the creature’s neck. It held these limbs up near its jaw, and Ulaz feared that if it tried, it could almost reach out and grab him from where it was standing.

Ulaz doubted that Keith could make out any of these features, but it seemed the paladin didn’t need to see them to be convinced the creature was dangerous, because when Ulaz looked back over at him, Keith was already reaching down, ready to draw his bayard. Slowly, the paladin turned his head to look back at Ulaz. And then, after a short moment, Keith gave a miniscule nod, and they took off running.

Ulaz spun around and began sprinting down the tunnel as fast as he could, going over the pathway in his head as he ran. He could hear Keith running as well, right behind him, sword drawn in case the monster caught up with them. Ulaz couldn’t draw his own blade while carrying Shiro, so it was up to Keith to fend the creature off, if necessary. 

Ulaz didn’t dare glance back to see how close the creature was behind them, focusing his gaze ahead, straining his eyes for the next branch in their path. It was only a couple moments before they reached it, running through the tunnel at full speed. As he got to it, Ulaz shouted back “Left!” to be sure that Keith knew they were turning, and they wouldn’t get separated.

“Got it!” Keith shouted back, and Ulaz was relieved to hear how close the paladin still was to him.

However, the creature was still close behind them, as well. Ulaz could hear the scrape of its massive claws on the tunnel floor, and its loud growling continued to reverberate off the walls.

There were still two turns left before they got out of the tunnel, but even when they did, they wouldn’t be home free. The terrain outside had been difficult enough to traverse when they were able to take their time, and having a giant monster at their heels wasn’t going to make it easier.

Spotting the next branch, Ulaz didn’t let himself worry about it at that moment, shouting back to Keith again as he turned right. The paladin was still close behind him, but Ulaz feared he was gradually falling behind, unable to match the Galra’s long strides. Ulaz clenched his jaw, but kept his eyes focused ahead of him. Slowing down wouldn’t help, and Keith hadn’t sounded dangerously far back yet. And they were almost out, anyway, the final turn quickly approaching.

He shouted back to Keith once more as he spun to the right, and up ahead he could just make out the opening of the tunnel, the sand outside lit a pale blue in the dusk. Still clutching Shiro tightly to his chest, Ulaz didn’t slow as the approached the exit, sprinting through the opening and up the slight incline as quickly as he could. But his feet caught in the heavy sand, and he could feel it slowing him down. 

Behind him, he suddenly heard the clash of Keith’s sword, and turned quickly to see the paladin swinging at the creature’s massive jaws. He was holding one of its long, spindly arms off with his shield, but as Ulaz watched, the other arm came down to swipe at the paladin’s head. Keith was just barely able to roll out of the way, and the creature was quick to swing its long arms at him again.

“We’re going to need covering fire!” Ulaz called, hoping their coms had reception again now that they were back above ground.

“Got it!” Lance shouted back after a beat, sounding startled by Ulaz’s sudden request.

Keith was still wrestling with the monster, making what progress back towards Ulaz he could, but it was slow going, as he continued having to dodge the creature’s attacks. Out in the open, Ulaz was finally able to properly see just how large the creature was. It was almost twice Keith’s height, and its long jaws were half the length of its torso. Its flesh was dark and mottled, and it was clear why the creature had been so difficult to see in the dark tunnel.

Keith was finally able to land a solid strike on the creature’s spindly arm, slicing into it with his sword, and the creature recoiled back. Not wasting his chance, Keith turned and sprinted up the slope towards Ulaz. The sand dragged at his feet, but the monster was slow to react, and Keith was able to get out of its reach before the creature swung its uninjured arm towards him.

With Keith close behind him, Ulaz turned to run as well. The sandy ground shifted into uneven rubble, and Ulaz hastily worked his way over the scattered debris, leaping from one pile to the next when necessary. Behind him, Keith followed with the aid of his jetpack, working his way up the debris quickly.

“Where are you guys?” Hunk called out over the coms in concern, “We can’t see you!”

“We’re just about out of the debris!” Keith replied quickly.

Finally the rubble flattened out, and they cleared the large chunks of debris criss-crossing overhead. The ground was still uneven, but they were out in the open again, and Ulaz looked up to see the Yellow and Blue Lions hovering in the sky above them.

“I see you!” Lance announced over the coms, the Blue Lion tilting its head down towards them. “And- whoa! What is that thing?”

“Just shoot at it!” Keith shouted, gritting his teeth.

“Gotcha!” Hunk called, and both he and Lance pointed their Lion’s tails at the creature and began firing.

Now that they had covering fire, Ulaz hazarded a glance back at the creature again, watching as one of the lasers hit right next to it, knocking it over. The creature stood up quickly, leaping out of the way as another laser struck the ground near it, before turning around and fleeing back into the debris. Lance let out a shout of triumph, and Ulaz turned forwards, watching his footing once again. The huge, broken skyscraper stretched out into the sky above them, and the ground soon evened out as they finally reached the Black Lion.

Ulaz slowed as they neared it, taking a moment to catch his breath after the chase, and glanced down at Shiro. The human had a slight grimace on his face, but his breathing was still deep and even. Keith slowed down beside him, glancing over at Shiro in concern as well, and then up at Ulaz. The Black Lion awoke as they got close, and Keith checked in over the coms as they entered. When they were safely inside the Black Lion once more, Keith took off towards the Castle, Ulaz still holding Shiro gently in his arms.

\---

Shiro wakes slowly to the sound of muted voices, and a sense of familiarity washed over him as he blinked his eyes open. He’s in a healing pod again, and his fellow paladins are crowded around the outside, smiling in at him as he wakes up.

They backed up as the pod began to slide open, and Shiro gingerly stepped out, keeping a hand on the frame for stability.

“Shiro! I’m so glad you’re back!” Hunk exclaimed with a sniffle, tears collecting in the corners of his eyes, before pulling Shiro into a sudden hug.

“We all are,” Keith added, a relieved smile on his face, and the Red Paladin reached out to lay a hand on Shiro’s shoulder, where it wasn’t already covered by Hunk.

“Yeah, we’re glad you’re okay,” Pidge said, smiling up at Shiro as well. 

With another sniffle, Hunk suddenly reached out and pulled the others in as well. “Alright, group hug time. Come on everyone.” The Yellow Paladin declared, voice still watery.

Lance rolled his eyes, but complied with a smile, reaching out to hug Shiro and the others as well. Already forced into the hug, Pidge joined in too, untangling their arms to wrap around Shiro’s waist. Finally, Keith joined in as well, awkwardly wrapping his arms around the others. With a laugh, Shiro hugged them all back, hands just reaching Lance and Pidge in the back.

After a moment, they broke apart, and Shiro smiled down at them, eyes warm. “Thanks, guys.” And then, after a beat, “Now, what have I missed?”

“We can tell you about it over dinner,” Keith recommended, a small smile still stretching his lips. 

“Yeah dude, you look like you haven’t eaten in days.” Lance said with a joking grin, but beneath it Shiro could tell he was genuinely concerned. 

“Probably because I haven’t,” Shiro said with a grin of his own, raising his hand to rub at the back of his neck. “I couldn’t find any food in that place, so dinner sounds great.”

Even as he tried to lighten the mood, Shiro’s stomach ached with hunger. Even just the mention of food was making it start to act up. As he lowered his arm, Shiro looked over at Allura and Coran, who were in the room as well, but were standing back near the central control panel. But as he looked over at them, his gaze caught on another figure standing further back in the room, over near the door.

“Ulaz?” He exclaimed in surprise, not having expected to see the Galra there. Feeling steadier on his feet now, Shiro walked over towards Ulaz. The Galra had his mask off, and he came to meet Shiro halfway. “What are you doing here?” The Black Paladin asked, astonished.

“I have been working with the paladins while you were missing,” Ulaz explained, “Trying to find you.”

Shiro blinked in surprise. He’d expected that the other paladins, Allura, and Coran would come looking for him, but he never expected that Ulaz would team up with them. He’s surprised that Allura let him, or that Kolivan did for that matter, after the Galra had prevented Ulaz from going on the mission to defeat Zarkon. A chill ran down Shiro’s spine at the thought, and he had to wonder if maybe Kolivan hadn’t survived the battle. But before Shiro could get caught up in distressing thoughts, he felt Ulaz rest his hand lightly on Shiro’s bicep, and he snapped out of it. The paladin looked up at Ulaz, and found the Galra smiling down at him gently.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” Ulaz said softly, yellow eyes warm.

Shiro couldn’t help but smile in return, and lifted his hand up to return the gesture, placing it gently on Ulaz’s arm. He couldn’t find the words to respond, but Ulaz didn’t seem to mind, still smiling down at him softly. After a moment, Ulaz dropped his hand back to his side, and Shiro did the same. With one last look at Ulaz’s warm eyes and soft smile, Shiro turned around to address the others again.

“Really though,” he began with a grin, “I’m starving. How about that food I was promised?”

\---

Shiro stopped to change into his regular clothes on the way to the dining room, and over dinner the others tell him about everything he’s missed. Allura explains that they did, indeed, defeat Zarkon, but there have now been whispers passed on from the Blade of Marmora about a Prince Lotor. They haven’t actually encountered him yet, but it sounds like he’s the one the Galra are calling in to replace Zarkon. Allura also talks about how she discovered that Haggar is Altean, which is news to everyone at the table, aside from Coran, as Allura hadn’t actually brought it up to the others yet.

Hunk mentions how Keith was working with the Black Lion while Shiro was gone, and Shiro can’t help but look over at Keith with a small, proud smile.

After he’d finished eating, Shiro talked a bit about what he’d been through over the past few days. He explains how he’d suddenly woken up on the planet and had tried to contact them, and when that failed, tried reaching out to the Black Lion. Unable to make contact, he’d began scavenging, looking for food and water. The second day was the first time he’d encountered those creatures, which he described as being a terrifying combination between an alligator, a bear, and a giant spider. It didn’t help Allura or Coran with visualizing them, but Hunk shuddered in response. 

He’d stayed out of the tunnels as much as he could after that, but he wasn’t able to find water outside, and a massive sandstorm eventually forced him back underground. He found some water deep underground and drank all he could, but the creatures clearly used the water source as well, because he had another run in with one. He’d been able to fight it off and get away, but not without scratching up his armour and acquiring a few bruises. After that he’d retreated to the sandy clearing and climbed up the cliff, hoping that the creatures wouldn’t be able to follow him up there.

The others listened intently as he spoke, and by the time Shiro had finished, his body was beginning to ache a bit in exhaustion. Allura recommends that Shiro get some rest now that he’s eaten, explaining that the healing pod treated his wounds, but his mind still needs proper rest.

Shiro agrees, and Keith offers to walk with Shiro back to his room, giving the two a chance to talk.

\---

After talking with Keith for a while, Shiro finally retired to his room. He stretched for a moment, before pulling out a tablet that he’d gotten from Allura after first arriving at the Castle of Lions. He had been vigilantly keeping a log of everything that had happened since he got here, and after the battle against Zarkon, there was a lot to add. Not to mention the five days he then spent on a deserted planet, which had honestly felt more like several weeks.

Sitting down on the edge of his mattress, Shiro began typing, adding a report of their mission, as well as the additional information Allura had told him over dinner. He got most of the way through the mission report before a knock on the door interrupted him.

Shiro looked up in surprise, wondering who it was. He placed the tablet on the bed beside him, before standing up and walking over to open the door.

When it opened, Ulaz was standing on the other side, his mask still off, and Shiro looked up at the Galra in surprise.

“I’m sorry, were you preparing for sleep?” Ulaz asked with a slight frown, “I don’t mean to intrude.”

“No, not at all!” Shiro replied hastily, stepping out of the way and waving Ulaz into the room. “Come in, I was just updating my log.”

Ulaz nodded and stepped into the room, and Shiro walked over towards the bed, allowing the door to slide closed. “What brings you here at this time of night?” Shiro asked curiously, looking over at the Galra.

“I wanted to see how you were doing,” Ulaz explained, voice steady, “I haven’t actually asked since you woke up.”

Shiro blinked in surprise as that, a small smile stretching across his face. “Thanks, Ulaz,” Shiro replied, eyes warm and earnest. “I’m good. Glad to be back.” 

The paladin paused for a moment before continuing, voice hesitant, “Though I’m still a bit surprised you’re here, honestly. I didn’t think Kolivan would let you come. Unless you aren’t part of the Blade of Marmora anymore, or Kolivan…” He trailed off, uncertain.

“Kolivan is still alive,” Ulaz stated, but then his expression grew remorseful, “Although Antok did not survive the battle.”

“I’m sorry,” Shiro replied sincerely, and Ulaz nodded solemnly in response. Thinking back on their past conversation, Shiro was glad Ulaz wasn’t here as a refugee of sorts. If Kolivan was going to make good on his threat about Ulaz having no place in the Blade of Marmora, and Ulaz needed to flee, Shiro wasn’t sure that Allura would have harboured him without Shiro here to advocate for the Galra.

“Kolivan permitted me to come and assist in finding you, to reunite the Voltron Paladins.” Ulaz explained after a moment, and Shiro focused his attention back on the Galra. “Kolivan himself is busy restructuring the Blade of Marmora. With Zarkon finally defeated, the Blade must adapt its purpose. And with so many members now gone, Kolivan must also decide who to promote.”

When Ulaz finished, Shiro gave a respectful nod, considering what the Galra had said.

“Well, I’m glad you’re here.” Shiro replied, eyes warm. “Keith said you were the one that helped get me out of there?” Ulaz simply nodded in confirmation, and Shiro smiled warmly up at him before continuing, his voice earnest, “Thanks, Ulaz.”

The Galra gave a small, soft smile in return, and Shiro thought his heart may have started beating faster in response. After a moment, Shiro glanced down at the bed, and asked if Ulaz wanted to sit. There were no chairs in the small room, but Ulaz accepted without pause, and they both sat down on the edge of the mattress, Shiro pushing the idle tablet out of the way as he did so.

Even though he’d already talked a bit about it over dinner, Shiro told Ulaz more about the desolate planet he’d been stranded on, and the harsh environment there. Shiro found that no matter what he said about the grim conditions he’d faced, Ulaz didn’t even flinch, and it was nice to be able to talk about what had happened without having to watch what he said, lest his explanation got too grim and serious. 

Afterwards, they moved on to talk about Ulaz’s time aboard the Castle of Lions, Ulaz telling Shiro about how they’d found him, and the time he’d spent with Allura, Coran, and the paladins. He told Shiro about sparring with Keith, and being able to talk with the Red Paladin about being part Galra. The way Ulaz spoke about Keith, proud and impressed with the paladin’s fast progress and fierce determination, made Shiro’s heart warm in his chest, and he couldn’t help but smile fondly at the Galra. 

Ulaz also talked about the encounters he’d had with the other paladins, though they were fewer. He spoke of how Hunk had approached him before breakfast on the first day, considerate as he asked about Galra food requirements, and Ulaz’s own preferences. He also recounted how he’d worked closely with Pidge, telling the young paladin all he could about Galra tech as they worked together to locate Shiro.

After a while, the conversation trailed off into a comfortable silence. Shiro was thrilled that Ulaz had been able to spend time with the younger paladins, and that they all seemed to get along. He was particularly grateful for the time Keith had been able to spend with Ulaz, and how selflessly and without hesitance the Galra guided and supported him, answering his questions and even helping him improve his swordplay. For all that Ulaz had said about Shiro being a good person when they had first met, the more time he spent with Ulaz, the more Shiro saw it was equally true for Ulaz. The pale Galra was kind, compassionate, and giving, while still being an incredibly skilled fighter and dedicated to his cause, always trying to do what was right. He really was extraordinary, and the more time Shiro spent with him, the more he found himself drawn to Ulaz.

It only made Shiro want to be able to spend more time with him, and as he sat there next to Ulaz on the bed, he wondered if he would have that chance.

“So now that I’m back,” Shiro began, inquisitive, “What are you going to do?” If Ulaz had come here to find Shiro and bring him back, the Galra might have to leave again now that his mission had been completed.

Ulaz took a moment to consider this, before concluding, “Kolivan hasn’t called me back in, so my presence must not be needed at the Blade of Marmora yet. I will have to speak with Allura.” 

Shiro nodded, and couldn’t help asking, “Has she warmed up to you at all?”

“Yes,” Ulaz replied with a small grin, “Actually, she reminds me of Kolivan. It is difficult to earn her trust, but once you have it, you can rely on her to watch your back.”

Shiro couldn’t help but let out a laugh at the unexpected comparison, and he suggested with a grin, “Just don’t tell Allura that. Even if she’s grown to respect you and Kolivan, I’m still not sure she’d appreciate the comparison.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Ulaz replied easily, not quite smiling, but his eyes were bright with silent laughter.

“But anyway,” Shiro continued, still grinning, “I’m glad she’s realized we can trust you. And I hope you’re able to stay. It would be nice to actually be able to spend some time with you, instead of just a few stolen conversations between dire missions.”

“I would like that as well,” Ulaz responded with a small smile, voice warm. “However,” Ulaz continued abruptly, “For tonight, I should let you rest.” Shiro gave a somewhat reluctant nod, and Ulaz stood up from the bed, Shiro following suit. “I will speak with Allura,” Ulaz said as he walked towards the door, before stopping and turning back to face Shiro. 

The Black Paladin had followed the Galra to the door, and for a moment, he thought about laying his hand on Ulaz’s arm. He’d gotten into the habit of doing it to say goodbye to Ulaz, but for once, neither of them was actually leaving. Shiro would see the Galra again tomorrow, and so he kept his arm by his side, and simply smiled up at Ulaz instead.

“Sleep well, Shiro.” Ulaz said with a smile, his eyes bright with warmth, before turning and leaving the room.

Shiro watched him go, and when the door slid shut, he let of a soft, contented sigh. The paladin then turned and walked back over to the bed, sitting down on it once again, though this time he sat with his back against the wall, rather than on the edge of the mattress. He pulled the half-forgotten tablet back over and powered it up, rereading the report to see where he had left off. He would just finish updating the log, before finally laying down for some much-needed rest.

\---

Shiro slept in the following morning, something he wouldn’t normally allow himself to do. But he hadn’t had a restful sleep in days, and being back in the Castle soothed his mind enough to fall into a deep sleep. By the time he’d woken up, the others would have already finished eating breakfast, and it was clear he’d needed the rest. Getting out of bed, Shiro showered and dressed before heading to get some breakfast himself. Going without food for several days in a row was still affecting his stomach, and he was eager to eat a filling meal.

When Shiro arrived in the kitchen, it was to find Hunk there as well, even though everyone else had already left, the dining table cleared of their dishes. Hunk greeted him enthusiastically and offered to make Shiro breakfast, which Shiro gratefully accepted. Hunk dug out some ingredients he’d been saving, and they chatted as the Yellow Paladin cooked.

Once the food was ready they moved into the dining area, sitting down at the table together, and Hunk continued talking amicably as Shiro ate. The food is delicious, as expected, and the company is nice, and Shiro once again finds himself thankful to be back.

After Shiro finishes eating they clean the remaining dishes together, and he asks Hunk where the others had wandered off to after breakfast. Hunk recites the other’s plans, counting them off on his fingers as he does so. Ulaz’s name catches his attention, especially when Hunk says that he and Keith had gone to the training room to practice. When everything is cleaned up and put away, he waves goodbye to Hunk, thanks him again for the delicious breakfast, and heads to the training room himself.

Shiro arrives to find Keith and Ulaz in the middle of sparring, and he quietly sneaks over to stand against the wall, not wanting to interrupt them. Ulaz has his mask off and Shiro is pretty sure the Galra noticed his entrance, but Keith is caught up in evading Ulaz’s attacks, and they continue for several minutes, Shiro watching intently from the side of the room.

Eventually Ulaz calls for a break, and Keith slumps in relief. The Red Paladin is in full armour, and as he turns around, Shiro can see sweat dripping down his brow. And now that his attention isn’t focused entirely on the fight, Keith notices him standing against the wall and straightens up in surprise.

“Shiro!” Keith called, deactivating his bayard and pulling off his helmet as he walked over. “How long have you been here?”

“A few minutes,” Shiro responded with a smile, leaning down to pick up the water bottle beside him, before handing it to Keith. The young paladin took it gratefully, promptly opening it and taking several large gulps. “You’ve improved,” Shiro proclaimed, still smiling down at him.

Keith pulled the water bottle away from his mouth, still panting a bit as he replied. “Thanks. Ulaz has been helping me a lot.” He explained, a small smile on his face, eyes bright. “It’s nice being able to learn from someone who really knows their stuff. He’s excellent with a blade, and he’s a good teacher.”

“I’m glad,” Shiro said warmly, smiling brightly down at the younger paladin. He really was delighted for Keith. Shiro’s own experience with blades was more of a clumsy, fight-or-die technique, so he hadn’t really been able to help the other paladin refine his skills.

Shiro looked up as Ulaz approached, and Keith turned to glance at the Galra as well. Ulaz had sheathed his blade at his back again, but he didn’t appear as worn out from sparring as Keith.

“You two should spar sometime. I bet you’re pretty closely matched.” The Red Paladin suggested, turning back to look at Shiro as he spoke. “Y’know, once you’re feeling back to normal, Shiro.”

Shiro chuckled and looked up at Ulaz with a grin, “Sure, why not?” After their first meeting aboard the Castle, when Ulaz had easily evaded the other paladins as they attempted to capture him, Shiro was curious how he’d fare in a friendly match against the Galra.

Ulaz agrees as well, and they plan a match in a few days’ time, once Shiro is back to full health. With that decided, they continue to chat for a few minutes, and Keith finishes off his water. Keith mentions how Ulaz suggested that he spar in his armor, to get more practice fighting with it on. Keith also talks about how he hasn’t only been practicing with his bayard, but also with his knife on occasion. Ulaz had recommended that as well, so that Keith could be versed in more weapon types, and less likely to be caught off guard, no matter what was at his disposal.

“By the way, have you talked to the Princess?” Shiro asked, looking up at Ulaz in curiosity, apprehension twisting in his gut.

“Yes,” Ulaz replied without pause, “Allura declared that I am welcome to stay, at least until Kolivan calls me back.”

Shiro smiled up at the Galra, shoulders dropping in relief. “I’m glad to hear it,” Shiro responded warmly, eyes bright.

Ulaz gave him a small smile in return, before turning back to Keith. “Are you ready to continue?” Ulaz asked, looking down at the paladin in question. Keith nodded, reaching down to place his empty water bottle on the floor, and picked his helmet back up at the same time. But this time, instead of drawing his bayard, Keith picks up his knife where he had left it sheathed near the wall. 

With his helmet back on and his knife carefully in hand, Keith followed Ulaz back into the centre of the room. Keith took a defense stance in preparation, as Ulaz unsheathed his blade again, and with a sudden swing, they began sparring again. Shiro leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, as he settled in to watch.

\---

That evening, after dinner, Pidge pulls Ulaz aside. “Hey, Ulaz,” Pidge began, somewhat hesitantly, “After you helped analyze the data to find Shiro, I was wondering if maybe you could help me with something else, too.”

“I can certainly try,” Ulaz responded earnestly. He was surprised that Pidge was asking him for help, but happy to do what he could to aid them.

A relieved smile stretched across the paladin’s face, and they gestured for Ulaz to follow as they began walking. “Thanks. Come on, I’ll explain on the way.”

He followed Pidge out of the dining room, and walked beside them as they began to explain. “When we broke Slav out of Beta Traz, I also scanned their systems for any records of my brother.” Pidge began, glancing up at Ulaz as they spoke. “The facial recognition got a hit, and I found a recording of him in another prison. The problem is, I can’t figure out which prison it is.” Pidge looked forwards again as they turned down another hallway, gesturing with their arms as they spoke. “I mean, admittedly I haven’t been able to work on analyzing it as much as I’d like, what with the battle against Zarkon, and then finding Shiro. But I’m still a bit stuck, and I figured since you’re already here anyway, I might as well, y’know, ask for your help.”

“Well, I’m glad to help,” Ulaz responded sincerely, looking down at the paladin, and Pidge looked up to shoot him a small smile.

It wasn’t long before they arrived at the room that Pidge had transformed into their work station, and they sat down at the table and chairs, Ulaz peering curiously at the screen. Pidge quickly pulled up the decrypted data, as well as the video file, and they began inspecting the information.

“So, I can tell he was being held at a prison, but I can’t figure out which prison. They seem to only be referred to by code name, and there aren’t any co-ordinates or anything.” Pidge explained, eyes narrowed at the screen. “But I’m also still not totally confident in the translation software I’ve been using, so since you can actually read Galra, I was hoping it might make more sense to you.”

Ulaz nodded as Pidge pulled up the file in its original Galra form, “I might be able to recognize the prison, as well.” Ulaz explained, voice steady, “I was only stationed on a few different prison ships personally, but I learned about as many as I could. As a spy, I knew that information might be very valuable to me one day.”

Pidge nodded along as Ulaz spoke, showing that they were listening even though their eyes were fixed on the screen. “Alright, here it is.” They declared after a few seconds, once they had finished pulling up the file, and glanced over at Ulaz. 

Ulaz began reading through the data, remarking on it every so often to see if Pidge had already reached the same conclusion. And as Ulaz got to certain points in the data, Pidge would speak up and describe what about it they were having trouble with.

There was a lot of data to go through, and they worked like that for over an hour. Once they’d finished examining the data overall, they began revisiting sections where some of the information was still obscure. They also examined the video clip, which contained what appeared to be two rebels blasting open a door and breaking Matt out.

They work late into the night, bouncing ideas back and forth. Then, finally, Ulaz makes a connection between the code names for the prisons, and the names of key planets in star systems the Galra Empire has conquered. From there, they’re able to determine which star system the prison is located in.

It’s a breakthrough, and Pidge leans back with a grin. However, there’s still the matter of the video. They can only find a few lines of information about the attempted prison break in the data, and nothing definitive or whether or not Matt and the rebels actually escaped the ship, or if they were captured before they could. It left them uncertain if Matt was even still on that ship, or if he had escaped with the unidentified rebels.

Regardless, Pidge was thrilled to have a lead, and declared that they would talk to Allura about checking out the prison ship. Ulaz suggested that the Green Paladin wait until morning, since Allura was likely already asleep for the night, and though Pidge was a bit disappointed as they realized the truth of Ulaz’s statement, they proclaimed that they would speak with Allura first thing in the morning. 

And with that decided, Ulaz parted ways with Pidge for the night, and began the walk back to his room. He was glad to have been able to help the Green Paladin, but he was also eager to get some sleep if they were going to have a mission coming up. He only hoped that Allura would authorize him to go on the mission, so that unlike in the fight against Zarkon, perhaps this time he could be there to help.

\---

Shiro wakes up at his usual time the next morning, getting some training and a shower in before breakfast. He needs the exercise to make sure he stays in shape after the week he’s had, and it also helps to keep his head clear. Once he’s done with his workout, Shiro takes a quick shower, and heads to the dining room for breakfast.

When he arrives, he’s surprised to find Pidge already there and in full armour, talking with Allura. They both look up as Shiro enters, and Allura smiles and waves Shiro over.

“Shiro! I’m glad to see you’re awake. I didn’t want to call you in if you still needed more rest.” Allura explained, still smiling. “How are you feeling?”

“Pretty much back to normal,” Shiro answered, smiling back at her. “Maybe still a little hungrier than usual,” He amended with a slight grin, eyes bright.

Allura smiled and nodded, eyes warm as she spoke. “I’m glad to hear it. You’ll need your strength for the mission.”

Shiro blinked in surprise at that, glancing down in Pidge in confusion, and then back at Allura. “What mission is that?” He asked curiously.

“I’ve got a new lead on Matt,” Pidge explained eagerly, grinning. “Ulaz helped me analyze some data I downloaded while we were at Beta Traz, and we figured out where Matt is being held.” They paused, face shifting from excitement to uncertainty, “Or, was being held? There’s a recording of some rebels trying to break him out, but we can’t tell if they actually got away or not. Either way,” Pidge continued, expression growing confident again, “It’s the next step to finding him.”

“That’s great!” Shiro replied, smiling brightly down at the Green Paladin. “Good work, Pidge!”

Pidge smiled sheepishly up at him, before clarifying, “Well, it wasn’t just me. Like I said, Ulaz helped too.”

Shiro just continued smiling down at Pidge, before glancing up at Allura again. “I’m guessing you haven’t told the others yet?”

“Coran and Hunk know,” Allura replied, “They’re both in the kitchen, we told them before you got here. We haven’t seen the others yet, but we were planning to tell them about it over breakfast. They should be here any time, now.”

As if on cue, the door slid open to reveal Keith and Ulaz. Shiro guessed they must have met on the way here, as they wouldn’t have been sparring this early in the day. It was only another minute before Lance arrived as well, and Hunk and Coran brought the food out. Pidge and Allura explained the situation as they ate, and Shiro saw Pidge shoot a grin at Ulaz, the Galra’s lips quirking up slightly in return.

Once they were finished eating, Allura told the paladins to change into their armour if they weren’t already wearing it, and to meet on the bridge for the mission debriefing. Lance, Hunk, and Keith went to get changed as Shiro walked to the bridge with the others. Once there, they only had to wait a couple minutes for the remaining paladins to arrive, and Allura began going over the mission plan she and Pidge had created.

They would be splitting up into three groups. Group One was Allura, Coran, and Hunk, who would be staying aboard the castle, with Hunk ready to launch in the Yellow Lion if anything went wrong. The second group was himself and Ulaz, who would be one of two teams to infiltrate the prison. This prison ship was particularly large, so they’d decided to split into two separate infiltration teams to cover the area quicker. The third and final team would be Pidge, Lance, and Keith, who would also be sneaking aboard.

Both teams would travel to the prison ship together in the Green Lion, because of its cloaking device. They would drop Shiro and Ulaz off on the back section of the ship first, where the more dangerous prisoners were held, and a higher percentage of sentries, as well. They were the best fighters of the group, as well as the stealthiest, so they were given the most difficult role. Then Pidge, Lance, and Keith would take the Green Lion to the front section of the ship, where they would sneak onboard. Once on the ship, Pidge would hack into its database, accessing the ship’s blueprints and prisoner records as they searched for Matt.

With the plan in place, Shiro, Ulaz, Pidge, Keith and Lance travelled down to the Green Lion’s hangar. Once they were inside the Green Lion, Allura generated a wormhole, and they entered the system where the prison ship was stationed. They hid the Castle out of sight, behind one of the system’s planets, and launched in the Green Lion. As they rounded the planet, Pidge activated the cloaking device and they approached the stern of the ship. This prison ship was almost twice the size of the others they had seen, and likely held twice as many prisoners. It only took a few seconds for the Green Lion to reach it, and Pidge carefully landed on the underside of the ship.

Not wasting any time, Shiro and Ulaz activated their helmets and exited the Green Lion. Powering up his hand, Shiro carved a hole into the underside of the ship, as the Green Lion took off again, its cloak still active. Shiro was careful to duck back out of the way as the pressure inside the ship forced the newly cut circle out into space. Then, with a quick glance back at Ulaz, the Black Paladin entered the ship.

They emerged into a long hallway with cell doors lining both walls. Each of the doors had a small slat so you could see inside, and they checked each one as they passed. It made Shiro’s stomach twist to have to leave any of the prisoners behind, but breaking even one person out of this place would be difficult enough, there was no way they could save everyone there. They advanced down the hall quickly but carefully, with Shiro taking one side of the hall, and Ulaz the other. When they heard sentries approaching, they ducked into the small alcoves that surrounded the doors, and silently waited for the sentries to pass.

They worked quickly, but it didn’t take long for them to realize just how massive this ship was. Continuing to check the cells individually would take far too long, and the longer they stayed on board, the more likely they were to be caught. Shiro crouched down behind another one of the alcoves, and radioed to the others.

“Pidge, what’s your status? Have you been able to hack into their system yet?” Shiro asked, his shoulders tense.

“I’m in, and I’ve found the ship’s blueprints and prisoner records,” Pidge responded after a moment. “Wow, this place really is huge. I’m searching for any records on Matt now. What about you two?”

“We’ve been checking the cells, but it’s going to take too long if we keep doing it this way. I think we’re going to have to find something in their system, first.” Shiro explained.

“Yeah, I agree.” Pidge replied quickly, “I’ll let you know if I find anything on my end. In the meantime…” They trailed off for a moment, and Shiro glanced around the corner at Ulaz as he waited, checking on the Galra. “There’s a command station not far from you,” Pidge spoke up again, and Shiro ducked back into the corner, “If you break in there, you two should be able to scan the system as well.”

“Got it,” Shiro responded, and took a moment to listen for footsteps before he ducked out from cover. 

He and Ulaz continued down the hallway, and Shiro looked for any door that looked different to the cell doors. They had to stop and wait for sentries to pass a couple of times, but after a few minutes they arrived at an intersection with another, larger hallway. Before Shiro could even look all the way up and down the hall, Ulaz was gesturing towards a doorway on the right. 

“There is it,” Ulaz declared, voice cautiously low so they wouldn’t be overheard.

Shiro turned to look down the hallway, and it took him a moment to figure out which door it was. It looked almost exactly like the other doors, except that the archway was slightly bigger, and there was no slat to see inside. Shiro might not have even noticed the difference if Ulaz wasn’t there with him, and Shiro was thankful for Ulaz’s presence.

They approached the door quietly, careful to not make any noise. Ulaz moved to stand at the right side of the door and drew his blade, while Shiro took the left side and powered up his hand. Ulaz lifted his hand to the control panel hidden beside the door, and with a glance over at Shiro, he opened it. They rushed in, and Shiro quickly took down the sentry that was standing just inside and to the left, before swiftly turning to look at the sentry standing at the control panel. But before Shiro could even get close to it, he heard the swing of a blade, and Ulaz’s weapon was suddenly embedded in the sentry’s back. It crumpled over onto the floor, and they quickly approached the control panel, Ulaz bending down to pull his blade from the fallen sentry. Shiro deactivated his hand and glanced back at the door to make sure it had closed, and saw another damaged sentry lying on the ground, next to the one Shiro had taken down. Clearly Ulaz had taken another sentry down, as well.

Ulaz worked quickly, navigating the system with ease. The Galra pulled up a long list of what Shiro guessed to be cell numbers and prisoner IDs, and he started a search for any humans. Shiro couldn’t read anything on the screen since it was all in Galra, but even if he could, the paladin wasn’t sure he would have been able to keep up with how fast Ulaz was scrolling through it. Unable to tell what was happening on screen anyways, Shiro turned around to keep an eye on the door instead.

A minute passed before Ulaz spoke, and Shiro turned around to glance at him. “He’s not here,” Ulaz concluded, “There are records on him, but he’s no longer listed as an active prisoner.”

“Can you find out where he is?” Shiro asked in concern, quickly glancing back at the door.

“Perhaps,” Ulaz responded hastily. “There isn’t any record of him being transferred to another prison, so I suspect he did manage to break out. If so, we won’t be able to find out where he’s gone, but we may be able to discover who took him.”

After another minute, Ulaz spoke again. “Here, this is it, the report on the prison break, and information on the rebels who freed him.” Suddenly, Ulaz turned to Shiro and held out his hand. “Give me your arm.”

Shiro blinked in confusion, but did as he was told, stretching his cybernetic arm out over the control panel. Ulaz grabbed it lightly, and guided Shiro’s hand to a smaller panel off to the side. Shiro’s hand lit up as it touched the panel, and he glanced over at Ulaz as the Galra explained, “I’m downloading the data into your arm, so we can analyze it back at the Castle.”

Shiro nodded in understanding, and once his hand stopped glowing and the data had finished downloading, he looked up at Ulaz for confirmation. The Galra nodded, and Shiro took a moment to radio back to Pidge and the others with a status update.

“Ulaz scanned the system, Matt isn’t here anymore. We think the prison break on that video was successful, and we’ve downloaded the information they had on the rebels and the escape.” Shiro explained hastily, eyes trained on the door.

“Yeah, we figured that first part out as well,” Pidge responded quickly, voice sounding a bit strained. “We encountered a bit of trouble, but we’re making our way back to the Green Lion now.”

“Affirmative,” Shiro replied and glanced back over at Ulaz. The Galra nodded again, and they approached the door cautiously. Unable to hear any movement outside, Ulaz activated the panel, and the door slid open.

However, it seemed that the thick metal blocked any sounds from the hallway, because directly on the other side of the door were two sentries, which spun to face them as the door opened. Shiro quickly ducked out of the way as the sentries began shooting, and just made out Ulaz doing the same in his peripheral. Staying low, Shiro rushed the sentries, powering his hand and slashing up towards the sentry in front of him. His hand cut clean through the sentry’s waist, and as he shifted his vision to the second sentry, he found once again that Ulaz had beaten him to it. Ulaz’s blade was in hand, and the sentry next to him had its head taken clean off, and both sentries crashed to the ground with a metallic clang.

The sound seemed to echo down the long hall, and Shiro worried it wouldn’t be long before more sentries showed up to investigate. They hurried back down the hall, towards the corner they had rounded to get to the control room. But as they rushed around the corner and down the hall, they came face-to-face with four more sentries. Shiro was quick to cut down the sentry nearest to him, before turning to attack the one behind it. But they weren’t quite fast enough, and the sentry that was furthest back was able to activate the alarm, just before Ulaz’s blade sliced through its chest. 

Red lights started flashing all along the hallway, and an alarm blared from somewhere behind them. They hurried down the hallway, weapons still drawn, trying to get back to the hole they’d entered through. But as they ran down the long hall, another wave of sentries rounded a corner ahead of them, and they were forced to changed course. Shiro grimaced and followed behind Ulaz, trusting the Galra would be able to navigate the ship better than he could. 

They soon emerged into another large hallway, and turned to sprint down it as the red lights continued to flash overhead. “There should be a pod bay somewhere along here,” Ulaz explained hastily, and Shiro inspected the doors ahead of them as they continued running. He couldn’t see anything that looked like bay doors, but what he did see was another wave of sentries rounding the corner up ahead, blocking their path. There were no other corners between them and the sentries, so there was nowhere to go but forward, and Shiro grit his teeth and raised his arm, preparing to fight them off. 

They clashed with the wall of sentries, Shiro spinning to cut through two of them, before pivoting to kick another to the ground. With Ulaz next to him, cutting sentries down just as quickly, they weren’t hard to take down, but there were still several more in front of them, blocking their path.

But as he cut down another sentry, Shiro heard a chilling laugh behind him, and his blood ran cold. He spun swiftly around, heedless of the sentries. There, standing in the middle of the hall, was Haggar.

“Back again, I see,” Haggar taunted, voice cold, “You just can’t seem to help yourself, Champion.”

Shiro grit his teeth, but didn’t rise to the bait, half aware of the sound of more sentries falling to the ground behind him. 

“You should never have shown your face here again,” Haggar continued, icy and sharp, “Not after what you did to Emperor Zarkon.”

Then she disappeared in a flash, leaving only tendrils of black smoke in her wake, before abruptly reappearing right next to Shiro. She was on his left, so Shiro quickly spun towards her, raising his cybernetic arm to block. Her blow was more forceful than Shiro expected, and he staggered back a step before rolling to the right, away from the fallen sentries. He ended the roll in a low crouch, looking back up just in time to see Ulaz pull his blade from the final sentry and swing it at Haggar. She vanishes before the hit connects, and Shiro stands up hastily, scanning the narrow hallway for her reappearance. He’s facing Ulaz when the Galra suddenly raises his blade again, and Shiro ducks out of the way. Haggar disappears again before the blade can reach her, and when Shiro spins around, there’s only black smoke behind him. Ulaz takes a step towards him, away from the sentries littering the ground, and they both turn so that they’re back-to-back.

When Haggar reappears, there isn’t just one of her, but several identical forms, surrounding them. They’re all just out of range, and Shiro waits for one of the forms to run at him before slashing at it. It vanishes, appearing out of range again, and Shiro feels Ulaz shift behind him. Shiro turns to match him, making sure Ulaz’s back is covered. 

Two of the clones run at Shiro this time, and Shiro slashes at one of them, before quickly blocking the second. The second Haggar leaps back out of range as a third rushes in, dark energy in her hand, aiming for Shiro’s side. He’s just able to redirect the attack and swing at her, making her vanish, but it’s clear this isn’t working.

“Get your back to the wall!” He called back to Ulaz, and when he felt the Galra move away from him, Shiro spun and lunged at the Haggar standing between him and the wall to his left. Once again, she vanished just before his hand connected, but Shiro was able to get his back to the wall, and he saw Ulaz doing the same across the hall from him.

If they’re going to get away from Haggar, Shiro knows he has to change up his technique. If they can get a solid hit in, they should have enough time to escape. They just need a way to surprise Haggar. If they figure out which Haggar is the real one, one of them can distract her, while the other sneaks up on her. And if they defeat more of the clones, it will narrow down the possibilities, and they should be able to figure out which is the real Haggar. But if he wants to do that, Shiro can’t keep waiting for the clones to come at him, he needs to go on the offensive. 

So Shiro surges forward suddenly, swinging at the nearest Haggar, and she vanishes into smoke. He spins to kick at another, and when she’s gone, he transfers his momentum into a leap, twisting to stab at a different Haggar. He’s closer to Ulaz now, and the Galra seems to realize what he’s doing, as Ulaz begins actively attacking the clones as well. Haggar spawns more of them, but Shiro and Ulaz are quick to take them down, and Shiro soon notices that there’s only one Haggar that isn’t moving. Shiro turns to glance at Ulaz, and though he can’t see the Galra’s eyes through his mask, Shiro thinks Ulaz is looking back at him. Shiro flicks his gaze towards Haggar, and then back at Ulaz, and he hopes Ulaz gets the message.

Then suddenly, Ulaz spins to slash at the clone between him and the real Haggar, and Shiro surges forward. The Galra brings his blade down towards Haggar, and Shiro leaps forward, using his jetpack to boost him. As soon as he’s close enough, the paladin swings his hand up, slashing at Haggar’s exposed side.

She vanishes just before it hits.

Shiro watches in alarm as Ulaz spins around, but the Galra is just a second too slow, and the clone behind Ulaz strikes his head, purple energy exploding around them as the hit connects.

Ulaz falls to the ground and Shiro rushes forward, swinging violently at the clone, slicing it in two. It dissolves into black smoke, and Shiro hastily switches his gaze back to Ulaz. The Galra has his hand to his face, and when he pulls it away, the broken remains of his mask are flickering in his hand.

There’s a sudden hiss behind him, and Shiro spins around to see only one Haggar remaining in the hallway. She’s glaring down at Ulaz, a scowl on her face, and purple energy sparks to life in her hand.

“Traitor!” Haggar hissed, and Shiro knows she’s recognized Ulaz. “Helping out the very prisoner you once experimented on.” Her tone is sharp and icy, but it’s her words that send a shudder down Shiro’s spine. “You’re a disgrace to the Empire!”

Haggar lifts her arm, and the purple energy shoots towards them. Shiro dodges out of the way, rolling to the side. He plants his feet on the ground in a crouch, and pushes off with all his strength. Haggar is focused on Ulaz and by the time she notices Shiro, it’s too late. Shiro’s hand slashes across her side, and Haggar cries out in pain, recoiling back. Her pained eyes meet Shiro’s for just a moment, and then she vanishes.

With Haggar gone, Shiro hastily turns back towards Ulaz, rushing over to the Galra. Ulaz is still lying on the floor, but he’d been able to roll out of the way of Haggar’s attack. The floor beside him is scorched black, and Shiro is grateful that Ulaz hadn’t been hit.

Ulaz still seems slightly disoriented from the blow to his head, so Shiro reaches down, offering Ulaz his hand. After a moment, the Galra complies, grasping Shiro’s hand in his own, and the paladin helps lift him to his feet. Letting go of Ulaz’s hand, Shiro gently rests his palm on the Galra’s arm.

“You okay?” Shiro asked softly, looking up at Ulaz in concern. 

“I’m alright,” Ulaz responded with a slight nod, and met Shiro’s eyes, “Let’s go.”

Shiro nodded back, dropping his arm back to his side, and turned around towards the fallen sentries that were still scattered on the ground. Shiro began running down the hallway once again, Ulaz following beside him. Now that Haggar was gone, Shiro wasn’t sure how much time they had before more sentries showed up to stop them. Luckily, they didn’t have to go far before they found the escape pods they’d been looking for. Shiro watched as Ulaz activated the panel beside the door, and the pod door slid open. Shiro glanced quickly back down the hallway, but it was still empty, and he let his shoulders slump ever so slightly in relief. They stepped into the escape pod together, and Ulaz strode quickly over to the controls, launching the pod.

Shiro’s heart was beating fast, adrenaline still rushing through his veins. Considering Shiro’s last fight with Haggar had ended with his side slashed open, a crash landing on a remote planet, and being chased by giant lizards, Shiro was actually thrilled to get away in one piece.

He then looked over at Ulaz, and though the Galra had lost his mask, he appeared uninjured as well. Shiro didn’t want to think about what could have happened if either of them had had to go up against Haggar alone.

Heart still thrumming in his chest, Shiro pulled his helmet off and stepped closer to Ulaz, the Galra turning to look at him as he did so. Then, Shiro reached up, gently slid his hand around Ulaz’s neck, and swelled up to kiss him.

Shiro’s pulse was pounding loud in his ears, and after a few rapid beats with no response, the paladin leaned back hastily. His face was hot, and he knew he was blushing hard as he cast his eyes down and away, ashamed. “I’m sorry,” Shiro began hastily, “I should have ask—“ 

But before he could even finish, Shiro was silenced by the press of Ulaz’s lips against his own. The paladin’s eyes shot up in surprise, but when he found that Ulaz’s eyes were closed, Shiro let his slip closed as well, sinking into the kiss.

After several moments, they broke apart. Shiro leaned back with a bright smile, blush still colouring his cheeks. Ulaz’s eyes were warm as he looked down at Shiro, lips stretched in a wide smile, his pointed teeth peeking through. They stayed there like that for several more moments, and Shiro couldn’t help but get lost in Ulaz’s tender expression.

However, a muffled noise from the floor soon interrupted them. Shiro looked over to realize his helmet had slipped out of his hand when he was caught up in the kiss, and with a quick, apologetic glance at Ulaz, Shiro drew back, leaning down to pick up the helmet. He hurriedly put it back on, and was once again able to make out Pidge’s words over the coms.

“—iro, come in! Are you there?” Pidge was calling, voice troubled.

“I’m here,” Shiro responded hastily, before explaining their situation, “We got cut off, but we were able to get to an escape pod, and we’re on our way to the Castle now.”

“Alright. In that case, we’re heading back as well.” Pidge declared definitively.

Shiro then radioed back to the Castle to update Allura as well. “Matt wasn’t there, but we found some information on the rebels who freed him, and Ulaz and I are on our way back in an escape pod.” He recapped briefly, voice steady and even.

Allura responded back with an affirmative, and with that settled, Shiro turned back towards Ulaz with a sheepish smile. The Galra was still smiling softly back at him, and it made Shiro’s heart flutter in his chest. 

“Sorry about before,” Shiro said with a nervous smile, reaching up to rub at the back of his neck, “I didn’t mean to be quite so forward.”

“No, it’s alright,” Ulaz replied softly, eyes warm, “I was merely surprised.”

“Well, if you want to try again, I promise to take it slow.” Shiro offered with a coy grin, even as his heart throbbed nervously in his chest.

Shiro’s heart skipped a beat as Ulaz stepped forwards, taking Shiro up on his offer. The Galra gently slid his hand around the side of Shiro’s neck, gloved fingers light on his skin. He leaned slowly down, and Shiro reached up to meet him, tilting his head back slightly. Even though Shiro’s helmet was somewhat in the way, Ulaz leaned in and pressed his lips against Shiro’s own, slow and languid. It took Shiro’s breath away, and he wondered if Ulaz could feel his pulse where it was racing in his throat. They stayed like that for several seconds, kiss soft and unhurried.

When Ulaz pulled back, Shiro was breathless and his face was flushed. Ulaz seemed out of breath as well, and he smiled down at Shiro contentedly, eyes bright and warm.

Out the view screen behind Ulaz, Shiro could see that they were just rounding the planet, and were almost back at the Castle of Lions. Ulaz turned to look as well, before looking back at Shiro and reluctantly drawing back. He trailed his hand delicately along Shiro’s neck, before pulling away.

Shiro watched as Ulaz turned back to the controls and began steering the ship towards one of the Castle’s pod bays. His heart was still racing, and he was pretty sure he was still blushing, and Shiro couldn’t quite conceal the exhilaration and joy rushing through him, smiling brightly as he watched Ulaz, gaze warm and affectionate.

\---

Back aboard the castle, they gather on the bridge, and Pidge begins downloading the data from Shiro’s arm. Meanwhile, Lance recaps their half of the mission. He describes how they were able to sneak onto the ship and hack into the system, but that just as Pidge was finishing their scan, a guard found them. They defeated him, but inadvertently alerted the sentries in the process, and had to get out of there. Shiro then tells them about his and Ulaz’s encounter with Haggar. They’re all surprised to hear she was there, and relieved that Shiro and Ulaz had been able to get away without sustaining any serious injuries.

Pidge begins translating the data while they talk, and once Shiro is done with his recap, they start examining it. They discover that the prison break only took place a few weeks ago, and that the people who freed Matt do indeed belong to a rebel group. And now that they have the group’s name, Ulaz recognizes them. The Galra explains that he has never met anyone from that group before, as the Blade of Marmora doesn’t typically work with other groups since they can’t trust that one of the rebels isn’t actually a spy for the Empire. However, he has heard of them before, and he suspects that Matt could still be with them. So, if the paladins can track down this rebel group, they might just find Matt as well.

With that in mind, they continue inspecting the data for any more information. However, the prison only really had records on the break-in itself, and very little data on the rebel group behind it. In order to find out more, they were going to have to get more information from another source.

Even so, it was a big breakthrough just to have proof that Matt was no longer imprisoned, and the name of the group that freed him. Pidge was ecstatic to know their brother had escaped, and said they were going to go back through some old data they had, just in case there was information on the rebel group in there that they hadn’t noticed before.

Shiro was thrilled as well, and not just on behalf of Pidge, but also personally. After they were captured on the Kerberos mission, Shiro had done all he could to protect Matt, but once they were separated, he could only hope that Matt would be okay. And to know that Matt was finally free, and out of the harrowing clutches of the Galra Empire, was a huge relief. 

\---

The next morning at breakfast, Pidge told them about some more information they had uncovered from the old data. It wasn’t much, but it listed a few systems the rebel group was active in, as well as records of another prison break, and the name of the rebel they had rescued. It was progress, and it gave Shiro hope that they would be able to find Matt soon.

After breakfast was over, Ulaz and Keith were planning to spar, as per their normal routine, and they invite Shiro along, as well. He’s quick to accept, and they walk to the training room together, stopping by Keith’s room on the way so that the paladin can change into his armor, plus it gives them more time to digest their breakfast.

Once they arrive at the training room, Ulaz and Keith begin to spar as usual. Shiro watches from the side of the room, leaning back against the wall. He enjoys watching Ulaz and Keith spar, and seeing the Galra interact with the other paladins in general. Ulaz treats them with respect and consideration, happy to answer their questions and help when he can. It’s very much the same when Ulaz spars with Keith, giving the Red Paladin tips and corrections, but also positive feedback. It makes Shiro smile, and his thoughts drift to how glad he is to have met Ulaz, and how thankful he is for the time he’s been able to spend with the Galra to get to know him. Shiro thinks back to the day before, when they were on the escape pod, and his heart flutters in his chest.

Shiro continues to watch them spar for maybe ten or fifteen minutes, when they finally stop for a proper break. Keith slips his helmet off as he walks over, and Shiro passes him a water bottle when Keith gets close enough. The Red Paladin is breathing hard, and he takes the water eagerly. Ulaz comes over to stand beside them as well, and Shiro shoots him a small smile. After taking a large swig of water, Keith speaks up.

“Are you two going to spar today as well?” Keith asked curiously, glancing between them.

Shiro blinked in surprise. After everything that happened yesterday, he’d completely forgotten about that. It seemed Ulaz had forgotten as well, because when Shiro glanced up at him, the Galra’s eyes were wide and his brows slightly raised. But Shiro was feeling back to normal, and he was still curious how he’d fare against Ulaz. So after a moment, Shiro shrugged, still looking up at the Galra. “Sure, I’m game.” He answered with a slight grin.

“Alright,” Ulaz responded after a moment, still seeming a bit surprised. “Are you prepared now?”

Shiro took a second to think about it. He’d decided to wear his armor instead of his casual clothes that morning, just in case of an attack or another mission, so he didn’t need to get changed. And he would just be fighting with his hand, so he had his weapon as well. “Yep, I’m good.” Shiro confirmed after a moment, looking back up at the Galra.

They walked into the centre of the room together, with Keith standing by the wall this time, still drinking his water. Shiro had already worked out that morning, but he still did a few quick stretches regardless. Then, when he was ready, he looked back up at Ulaz. The Galra wasn’t wearing his mask, since it had been broken yesterday, and Shiro shot him a grin as he powered up his hand. Ulaz gave a small smile in return, and drew his blade. They both shifted easily into fighting stances, and began.

Shiro waited for Ulaz to strike first, and after a moment, the Galra did. He swung his blade sideways towards Shiro quickly, and when the paladin dodged out of the way, Ulaz followed through with a kick, trying to knock Shiro over. Shiro leapt back out of the way in time, but had to dodge again as Ulaz swung his blade back the other direction. Ulaz had aimed high, and Shiro ducked below the arcing blade, driving his hand up towards Ulaz’s stomach. Ulaz noticed the incoming attack, and it was his turn to leap back out of the way. 

Shiro transferred his momentum into a forward roll, getting his hands flat on the ground by his head as he rolled, and pushed up into a forward flip to get his feet back under him, swinging down hard at Ulaz with his hand. Ulaz lifted his blade up in time to block the hit, and they stayed locked like that for a moment. 

Suddenly, Ulaz twisted to the side, keeping his blade locked with Shiro’s hand, and kicked his right leg up at the paladin’s torso. Shiro knew he wouldn’t be able to dodge in time, so he braced for the hit, and when it connected, Shiro swung his left arm around Ulaz’s leg, trapping it there. It left Ulaz off-balance, and with his left foot planted firmly against the ground, Shiro kicked out with his right, hitting Ulaz just above the ankle and sweeping the Galra’s foot out from under him. It sent Ulaz tumbling to the floor, and he landed hard on his left side. 

However, Shiro couldn’t easily pin him to the ground, and soon enough Ulaz had rolled over away from Shiro and into a crouch, and was surging up towards the paladin. Shiro was still angled slightly wrong from his kick, and as the Galra lunged towards his side, Shiro was forced to roll forwards to avoid him. He was able to get out of the way, but it left him with few follow-throughs, and as Shiro spun back towards Ulaz, he found the Galra had already caught up. Ulaz was right in front of him, swinging his blade down at Shiro, and the paladin hurriedly lifted his arm to block the hit. It was the reverse of their position from before, and Shiro grit his teeth as he held Ulaz’s blade off.

They stayed like that for a moment, Shiro staring up at Ulaz’s face, his yellow eyes fierce and determined. Then, after a few seconds, Shiro took a quick breath and called for a break.

Ulaz quickly complied, drawing back from Shiro and sheathing his blade. Shiro powered his hand down as well, and grinned at Ulaz.

“You really go all out, huh?” Shiro stated with a grin, eyes bright and glinting with humour.

“Not typically,” Ulaz replied easily, lips upturned in a smirk, “But I figured you could take it.”

Shiro laughed, still grinning, and when he looked at Ulaz, he had to stop himself from stepping forward and kissing the Galra. After a moment he heard Keith approaching, and turned to look at the Red Paladin. Keith’s eyebrows were raised slightly, and he looked quite impressed.

“Wow,” Keith began, sounding somewhat in awe, “You two are really evenly matched.”

Shiro grinned at his fellow paladin, eyes still shining bright. “Meaning I totally had him, right?” He joked.

Keith shook his head, but his lip quirked up in small smile. “Really though,” He continued, looking back up at them, “That was impressive.”

Shiro smiled down at the younger paladin, eyes warm. And then, glancing back up at Ulaz, Shiro smirked and asked, “Want to go again?”

Ulaz nodded, eyes bright, and Shiro thought he might have caught a glimpse of mischief in them, as well. Once Keith had retreated back to the wall, they took their stances, and began again.

\---

A few more days pass fairly uneventfully, and Ulaz finds himself spending more time with the paladins. At one point they even manage to rope him into a card game, when Lance finds an old deck of Altean playing cards lying forgotten in the Castle. Apparently they are slightly different to Earth playing cards, and there are a dozen extra in comparison, but they’re close enough that the paladins get used to them quickly. 

Ulaz, on the other hand, has a bit more trouble learning the game, having never even seen a deck of playing cards or anything like it before. However, once he discovers that one of the main aspects of the game is not revealing the true quality of your hand to the other players, he begins to dominate. It’s an unexpected benefit of working as a double-agent for so long.

Allura and Coran stumble across them after a while, and once Lance explains the rules to them, even they join in. Allura is even better than Ulaz, and it takes some time for any of them to realize why. But then, when Pidge is gently petting one of the mice, they look up at Allura in a dead stare, stand up, slam their hands on the table, and call her out in shock. Using a telepathic connection to check the other player’s cards is clearly cheating, Pidge exclaims. Allura just grins mischievously in response, and says she wondered when someone would notice.

Overall, it’s a good few days, and completely unlike any other time in Ulaz’s life. Between what’s going on with him and Shiro, and his growing connection to the paladins, it’s all quite unexpected. He’s never had so many people he could call friends before.

And in terms of what’s going on with him and Shiro, Ulaz isn’t sure what to call their relationship, exactly, but he’s been enjoying spending time with Shiro even more. He’s able to make the Black Paladin smile and laugh so easily and so often, and every time he does Ulaz’s heart swells in his chest, and he can’t help but smile affectionately at Shiro.

\---

Today, Ulaz finds himself back in the training room with Shiro, facing off against the Black Paladin again. They’ve toned it down slightly since their first match, but they still spar hard and fast, pushing themselves to improve. Keith had decided to skip training with Ulaz for the day, and spend some extra time bonding with the Red Lion. After piloting and working with the Black Lion several times, it seemed the Red Lion had grown a bit temperamental, and Keith wanted to make sure he re-established and strengthened his bond with Red. 

This meant that he and Shiro had the room to themselves, and they had decided to spar a bit differently this time. They were making use of the space as much as they could, not afraid to move across the room and put some distance between them, strategizing before they attacked. It resulted in them moving around the room a lot more than usual, going from the centre of the room to the walls, and from one corner to another.

It also meant that when Ulaz finally pinned Shiro in place against the wall, it felt like even more of a success. Of course, Shiro had his hand to Ulaz’s throat, so the Black Paladin was far from defeated, but even so. They stayed there like that for several seconds, breathing heavily, before Shiro pulled his hand back, deactivated it, and grinned up at Ulaz. Once again, Ulaz couldn’t resist smiling back at the paladin, and he slid his blade back into its sheath, before leaning down to kiss him.

Shiro kissed him back before drawing away again after a moment, lifting his hands up to pull his helmet off. He then leaned up to kiss Ulaz again, wrapping his left hand around the back of the Galra’s neck, still holding his helmet in his right. The kiss was slow and languid, and after several moments, Shiro deepened it, sliding his tongue inside Ulaz’s mouth. It had been years since Ulaz had been so intimate with anyone, and the feeling was a bit unusual to the Galra, but it was far from unwelcome.

Ulaz kissed him back eagerly, sliding his hand up around the back of the paladin’s neck and head, pulling him in even closer. Ulaz slid his other hand down along the side of Shiro’s waist, before hooking it around the paladin’s thigh, and lifting him easily off the ground. Shiro’s back was still pressed against the wall, and he startled when Ulaz lifted him, quickly wrapping his legs around the Galra’s waist. “Oh,” Shiro exclaimed, breathless, breaking off the kiss in surprise.

“I’m sorry,” Ulaz said, frowning, “Is this okay?”

“Yeah,” Shiro replied hastily, still breathless, his face flushed red. “Yeah,” he said again, more definitively this time. “Just- this probably isn’t the best place for this.” The paladin admitted reluctantly, biting his lip. “Someone could walk in.”

Shiro had a point, and Ulaz conceded, gently letting the paladin back to the ground. However, before Ulaz could pull away, Shiro placed his hand lightly on the Galra’s chest, and leaned in for one more quick kiss. When Shiro pulled back, he smiled brightly up at Ulaz, eyes radiant and warm, and Ulaz couldn’t help but smile fondly back at him.

\---

Later that day, Ulaz spends some downtime with Shiro in one of the rec rooms, talking casually with the paladin. Shiro is telling Ulaz a bit about Earth, its distinct climates and variety of species, and the way Shiro’s eyes light up as he speaks has Ulaz smiling warmly at the human. Ulaz finds himself growing more attached to Shiro than he’d ever intended, and it leaves Ulaz wanting to be able to stay with the paladin. 

They continue talking for some time, the topic shifting from Earth, to the rest of Shiro’s home system, to some of the most incredible systems and celestial objects they’ve seen in their time traveling the universe. The system where the base of the Blade of Marmora is located is particularly noteworthy, with its massive blue star and two adjacent black holes. Then, suddenly, Coran’s voice comes on over the room’s intercom.

“Ah, sorry to interrupt,” Coran begins, “But Kolivan has just contacted the Castle, and is requesting to speak with Ulaz.”

Shiro glances over at Ulaz in mild surprise, and Ulaz responds to Coran quickly, “Alright, just a moment.” He then looks over at Shiro in apology, and the paladin promptly catches on. Even though the human still looks curious, he stands up and gives a quick farewell, shooting a small smile back at Ulaz as he leaves the room.

Ulaz stands up as well, turning to the screen on the back wall, and takes a deep breath. “Okay, go ahead,” He tells Coran.

“Transferring the signal to you… now.” Coran replies leisurely, and Kolivan appears on the screen in front of Ulaz, his mask on. 

“Sir,” Ulaz says respectfully, standing at attention.

“Ulaz,” Kolivan begins, voice cool and even, but seems to redirect as he asks, “Where is your mask?”

“It was broken a few days ago, in a fight against Haggar.” Ulaz explained after a beat. He’d almost forgotten he wasn’t wearing it.

“Haggar? Where did you encounter her?” Kolivan inquired, and Ulaz gives a report on their mission aboard the prison ship. He admits to Haggar having seen his face once she broke his mask, and how she had recognized him. Ulaz also explains how Shiro had been able to injure her, and that she had fled immediately after. Then he tells Kolivan how the paladins are planning to seek out the other rebel group, in hopes of finding Pidge’s brother.

“I see.” Kolivan remarked once Ulaz had finished his report. And then, voice still cool, “You can get a replacement back at the base. It is time for you to return.”

Ulaz’s stomach twisted in apprehension. He had been expecting that was why Kolivan had contacted him, of course, but it still sent a shot of nervous tension through him.

“If I may, there’s an idea I wanted to discuss with you, first.” Ulaz responded, voice carefully even and neutral.

After a moment, Kolivan gives Ulaz permission to speak. The pale Galra takes a deep breath, and begins.

“In the time I’ve spent aboard the Castle, I’ve found that I’m able to work well with the paladins. And in working with them, I was able to retrieve data from the Empire, even though I can no longer work there undercover. Therefore, I have been considering what I would be able to accomplish if I were to stay here and work alongside the paladins as a liaison. I could act as a source of contact between the Blade of Marmora and Princess Allura and the Voltron Paladins. That way, we would be able to trade information between our organizations more easily, and be aware of new developments and attacks sooner.” Ulaz paused for a moment, taking a breath before concluding, “Voltron is still our biggest ally in this war.”

Kolivan doesn’t respond for several long moments, and Ulaz’s heart beats anxiously in his chest. Then, Kolivan speaks.

“Have you spoken with Princess Allura on this matter?” Kolivan asked, tone steady and neutral. 

Ulaz’s eyes widen in surprise, and he remembers a moment too late that he isn’t wearing his mask, and Kolivan will have seen his reaction. Ulaz had just been expecting more of a dispute, or questions, or even an outright refusal. Kolivan hadn’t necessarily agreed yet, but it was still surprising. Perhaps Ulaz’s explanation was more convincing than he’d expected. 

Expression carefully neutral again, Ulaz replied, “No, sir. I have only brought it up with you.”

“Then I must speak with her,” Kolivan remarked.

“Yes, sir. I can check if she is available to speak with you now.” Ulaz replied promptly.

Kolivan dismissed him to do so, and with a quick salute, Ulaz turned and strode out of the room. He was fairly certain that Allura would be on the bridge, and so he began quickly making his way towards it. As he walked, his stomach still twisted slightly in apprehension, he thought about the time he’d spent with the paladins.

As he’d gotten to know them, he’d begun to care for them, as well. Not only because they were the Paladins of Voltron, but also because of who they were as people. Even though they were young, they were all driven. Despite everything they were up against, they still did all they could to defeat Zarkon. And even now that they had succeeded, they still wanted to do what they could to fight the Empire, and to help people.

It made Ulaz want to be able to spend more time with them, and to help them. And even if part of the reason he wanted to stay was because of Shiro, he also truly believed that they would be able to accomplish more together.

It wasn’t long before Ulaz arrived at the entrance to the bridge, and sure enough, the doors slid open to reveal Allura, and Coran as well. The Alteans were inspecting something on screen, but as Ulaz walked in, they turned to look at him.

“Ulaz!” Coran called out, looking up in surprise. “Did you finish speaking with Kolivan?”

“Kolivan?” Allura questioned, turning to look at Coran in confusion.

“Yep!” Coran replied, rocking back on his heels, “He contacted the ship to speak with Ulaz, not long before you arrived.”

“Actually, Kolivan would now like to speak with you as well, Princess, if you have time.” Ulaz interjected, looking over at Allura.

“Is there news?” She asked quickly, expression serious.

“Not exactly,” Ulaz replied, “It is in regards to my position.”

Allura looked at Ulaz curiously, but agreed to speak with Kolivan. “Coran, can you pull the feed up on screen?” She asked, glancing over at the other Altean.

“Yes, Princess!” Coran replied promptly, pulling the connection up on screen with a few quick taps.

Kolivan once again appeared on screen, and as he saw them, he deactivated his mask.

“Kolivan,” Allura began, straight to the point, “What is it you wanted to speak with me about, exactly?”

“Princess Allura,” Kolivan began, tone even, “Ulaz has approached me with an idea, and I wish to discuss it with you. He has proposed that he act as a liaison between the Blade of Marmora, and you and the Voltron Paladins.”

Allura took a moment to consider this, her face set in deliberation. “Meaning Ulaz would stay here, and exchange information between our two groups?” She inquired, contemplative.

“Indeed,” Kolivan answered.

“And I would be able to send him on missions, alongside the paladins?” Allura questioned.

“Of course,” Kolivan responded, voice steady.

The Princess considered it for several long moments, hand raised to her mouth and eyes narrowed in thought. “It has been nice having another well-trained fighter around. And it would allow us to have Voltron active and infiltrate an enemy base at the same time.” Allura ponders out loud. She’s quiet for another few moments, and then looks decisively back at Kolivan. “Alright, I accept.”

Ulaz’s heart thrums in anticipation, but he forces the feeling down, still waiting on Kolivan’s confirmation. Expression still carefully neutral, Ulaz looks back at his leader, and it’s only a moment before Kolivan responds.

“Then it’s decided.” Kolivan replied, voice steady and even. “Ulaz will stay aboard the Castle of Lions, and report back every five days to exchange information, or immediately anytime the information is critical.”

“Agreed,” Allura replied definitively. Then, after a moment, she inquired, “Is that everything?”

“It is, Princess.” Kolivan responded, before turning towards Ulaz. “Was there anything else, Ulaz?”

“I would also like to request the blueprints for a mask. I believe Pidge may be able to make one for me, and therefore I will not have to return to the base for a replacement.” Ulaz replied, voice steady, even as his heart raced in his chest, elated.

“I will have the encrypted files sent over,” Kolivan agreed, voice even and neutral.

And with that settled, they exchange a quick farewell, Ulaz saluting Kolivan once more, and Kolivan ends the transmission. Ulaz is still a bit in shock with how well that all went over, but he gathers himself and turns towards Allura.

“Thank you, Princess.” Ulaz said sincerely, and bowed low. Allura is now his superior as well, and Ulaz is grateful that she’s let him stay.

“I’m glad to have you, Ulaz.” Allura replied warmly, and when Ulaz looked up, she was smiling. “You work well with the paladins, and you’ve earned my trust. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you’d like.” Allura continued earnestly, her eyes sparkling with warmth and compassion.

It is the kindest she had ever treated him, and after their first meeting, far kinder than Ulaz had ever expected her to. It makes him all the more thankful that he’s been allowed to stay, and he’s pleased to serve under her command. Ulaz gives another bow in thanks, and Allura just smiles at him.

“You’re free to go tell the others, if you’d like.” Allura prompted.

Ulaz was eager to do just that. He hadn’t told Shiro how he’d been planning to ask for permission to stay and work alongside the paladins, but now that it had been confirmed, he was looking forward to telling the Black Paladin. And so, after bidding Allura and Coran a polite farewell, Ulaz turned and left the room, off to find Shiro.

\---

Ulaz found Shiro in the human’s room, door sliding open to reveal the paladin, after Ulaz had knocked. Shiro had changed back into his casual clothes, and he greeted Ulaz with a soft smile.

“I figured you’d find me when you were done.” Shiro said with a smile, stepping aside to allow Ulaz into the room. “How did talking with Kolivan go?” The paladin asked, worry creeping into his expression.

“Surprising well,” Ulaz replied steadily, turning to face Shiro once he was inside the room. “Actually, I have news. I have spoken with Kolivan and Princess Allura, and they have permitted me to stay here, and work as a liaison.”

Shiro blinked in surprise, taking a moment to let the information to sink in. “You’re staying?” He asked, eyes still wide in disbelief.

“Indeed,” Ulaz replied with a gentle smile, eyes warm. 

A bright grin broke out over Shiro’s face, eyes shining with delight. “That’s great!” Shiro replied eagerly, smiling warmly up at Ulaz. “Honestly, I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do when you left. I’ve really been enjoying spending time with you, and…” The paladin trailed off, eyes going a bit somber, despite his wide smile, “I would have missed you.”

“I would have missed you, as well,” Ulaz replied, soft and sincere, and he reached out to cup the paladin’s jaw, hand resting gently on Shiro’s neck.

Shiro reached up, lightly placing his own hand over the Galra’s, and they stood there like that for a few moments, just smiling at each other. 

“It’s going to be nice having you around,” Shiro said warmly, and asked, “Have you told the others yet?”

“Not yet,” Ulaz replied, voice steady and affectionate, “I wanted to tell you first.”

At this, Shiro leaned up to kiss Ulaz passionately, moving his hand to wrap it around the back of the Galra’s neck and pull him in close. Ulaz returned the kiss, eager and warm, gently resting his other hand on the paladin’s waist. After several long moments, they pulled apart, breathless. Shiro’s face was flushed red, and Ulaz smiled widely down at him, eyes shining with affection. Shiro smiled brightly back at him, gaze radiant and warm.

“I’m glad you’re staying,” Shiro said, soft and sincere.

“As am I,” Ulaz replied fondly, smiling brightly down at the paladin.

When Ulaz had freed Shiro, even just seeing the human again had been more than he’d expected. And to then have a chance to speak with Shiro, and to bond with him, was more than the Galra could have ever asked for. And now, to stay here not only with Shiro, but the other paladins and the Alteans as well, and to be able to call them allies, even friends, was something Ulaz could have never predicted. 

And as he stood there with Shiro in his arms, Ulaz was grateful.

**Author's Note:**

> This is by far the longest fic I’ve ever written (the second longest being A Second Chance), so hopefully the pacing was alright! Also, a fun fact for you: the title is a reference to Ulaz's line from the show, "And, because of Shiro, we are closer than we've ever been."  
> And once again, I want to thank you all for your wonderful comments, kudos, bookmarks, and even hits. This fic wouldn’t have been written without you, so thanks again, and I hope you enjoyed it! <3


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